Under Our Skin
by jazzywazzy08
Summary: A one night stand brought on my grief and comfort reveals the secret of Bonnie's heritage to Tyler and the Lockwood curse to them both when Tyler's wolf is triggered by something unexpected resulting in a magical bond that has permanent consequences if it remains unbroken. AU from 2x01.
1. Part One : Instinctive

**Title:** Under Our Skin

 **Rating:** M

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural/Romance

 **Pairing(s):** Bonnie/Tyler, Mason/Katherine, Mason/Lucy, Katherine/Lucy, Lucy/Mason/Katherine, Caroline/Matt, etc.

 **Summary:** A one night stand brought on my grief and comfort reveals the secret of Bonnie's heritage to Tyler and the Lockwood curse to them both when Tyler's wolf is triggered by something unexpected resulting in a magical bond that has permanent consequences if it remains unbroken. AU from 2x01.

 **Warnings:** Language, Sexual Content, Violence, Dub-Con, etc.

 _ **Author's Note: Another repost. Wattpad is glitchy and annoying so back at it again on . This story is AU season two rewrite. This is basically along the lines of what I wanted to happen in terms of the storyline but with a lot of twists. There is going to be some different witch and werewolf lore. Also Caroline is not going to be a vampire in this. It doesn't work with the plot I have developed and really I feel like the storyline was done onscreen to push Caroline into relevancy and Bonnie further to the backburner but I digress. Katherine is going to go after Bonnie in the sense of attempting to "befriend" her so that she can sway her to her side of things. That is what should have happened in my opinion, she has history with the Bennetts and it would have made for a good storyline. Essentially this is a Tonnie fic though. There are some things that are tropey ahead but I am hoping that you all like them. No editing here. Please excuse errors! Happy reading!**_

 **Part One || Instinctive**

" _As if you were on fire from within. The moon lives in the lining of your skin."_

— **Pablo Neruda,** _ **Ode to a Naked Beauty**_

Bonnie Bennett took a calming breath as she looked at herself in the mirror. After her confrontation with Katherine she had locked herself in one of the many bathrooms in the Lockwood mansion.

Her hands trembled as she turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water. She was tired of this. The feeling of helplessness. Everything she did came back and bit her in her ass it seemed. She had thought she had gained some ground. That she had gotten past all of the bullshit. But really she was just carrying all of her fear, guilt, grief, and uncertainty under an armor made of false bravado and spells she had taught herself after her grams had died that might as well have been fucking parlor tricks for what good they had done against Katherine.

She was on the verge, but she wouldn't break. She had broken before. Shattered into pieces at the loss of the one person that had loved her unconditional and that had the power to guide her and help her with her powers. It had taken so long for Bonnie to pick up the pieces and she hadn't even gotten to put them all together yet. If they fell apart again then she wouldn't be able to come back from it.

People were dead. Dying. Her grams. Vicki. Mayor Lockwood. All gone. The list would keep going and there was nothing she could do about it. She had had a hand in all of it. She had almost lost Caroline. She had tried to protect everyone and make the right decisions but the way that things were backfiring she knew that she couldn't do this alone. And ultimately she was alone.

The tide was turning. Things had been changing ever since the Salvatore had arrived. And while Elena claimed that Bonnie had her, in the end she would follow Stefan's lead when her focus wasn't on whether or not Damon would have a nervous breakdown in the next second.

There wasn't anyone else. Everyone else was too much in the dark. Even Caroline. Her father wasn't an option either. He was gone. Always gone. She knew that if he was aware of the danger that she was in constantly that he would come home more, maybe even stop traveling altogether. But every time he called, she lied and said everything was fine. If he was out of town then he was safe. It was the only way that she could think of to protect him.

Bonnie sighed and grabbed one of the hand towels from the basket on the marble sink. She used to dry off her hands and face. Tossing the towel aside, she ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing it slightly. Digging through her purse she began to take out her makeup so that she could touch up her face.

She would pay her respects and then leave. She owed the Lockwoods that much. A part of her wanted to stay as long as possible. She didn't like being alone at the best of times and since she had nearly been killed being alone didn't sound any more appealing than it normally did.

But her grams place was warded by spells and the spirit of her presence. Besides that Sheila Bennett's house, and the house Bonnie shared with her father, were the safest places for her at the moment not just because of the spells protecting them both but because of the fact that none of the vampires in town had been invited in to either location.

Bonnie adjusted the purple cardigan she was wearing and smoothed her hands down the black dress underneath. When she found herself to be as put together as she was ever going to be, Bonnie moved to leave the bathroom.

As she opened the door, she nearly ran into someone standing on the other side. "Sorry," she murmured as she regained her balance, "I didn't see you."

Bonnie studied the man in front of her. His blue eyes assessed her in turn. Wide stocky frame. He was built kind of like Tyler, though he was slightly taller. There was something familiar about him as his lips curved into a smile.

"Don't worry about it," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly, "You're the girl that helped Tyler and Matt steal the piñata at his eighth birthday party right? Then when we found you guys Tyler said he would give up the candy if you and Matt didn't get in trouble and if we let you have all of the packs of gummy bears. Then when he realized you got him the G.I. Joe that he wanted he proposed to you with a Ring Pop."

Bonnie blushed and looked away. She still wasn't sure who the guy was and really she would rather that not be what she was remembered for as he obviously knew who she was. "Gummy bears were my favorite," she responded looking back with an embarrassed smile. Still it was the first genuine smile she had in a while.

"You obviously don't remember me," he said, after she didn't say anything more than that, "Not that I blame you. I'm Mason Lockwood. Tyler's uncle."

"Oh," Bonnie nodded, "I remember now. My grams used to make gingersnaps whenever you came to town because she said you never left without coming over to beg for them."

"I was sorry to hear about Sheila passing," he said, "She was a little strict, no nonsense, but she took care of people."

Bonnie smiled sadly. It had gotten better. Talking about her grams to other people, but it was still hard at times. "I'm sorry about Mayor Lockwood," she said, "He was kind of a hard ass and I didn't really like him to be honest but...he left people who loved him behind and no matter what kind of person he was he didn't deserve to die."

Mason crossed his arms over his chest and Bonnie thought she had said the wrong thing. But she hadn't wanted to lie. She had hated all the people that had come to her grams funeral singing her praises when they had been the same people accusing her of being a crazed drunk when she was alive. Rambling about the supernatural and being a suspected witch hadn't gained her any fans.

Bonnie always found it strange that while Elena seemed to understand the consequences of what would happened if Stefan and Damon were discovered as vampires she didn't get what would happen if Bonnie was outed as a witch. Her ancestor was burned in this very town and still the importance of keeping Bonnie's secret was always lost to her friend when it came to helping one or both of the Salvatore brothers.

Bonnie was brought out of thoughts as Mason spoke. "That's probably the most honest thing I've heard from anyone about my brother all day," he said. He looked to left and down the hall. "Tyler had a big crush on you if I remember right," he continued when he turned back to Bonnie, "You two still engaged?"

Bonnie laughed a little, shaking her head. "I ate my engagement Ring Pop and things got awkward after that," she quipped. He laughed and she couldn't help but give him admiring glance. If nothing else the Lockwoods had good genes. "Seriously though," she said, "We kind of moved in different directs after a while. We stayed in the same circles just..."

"Weren't into the same things?" Mason asked.

Bonnie thought about Tyler's volatile history and his relationship with the late Vicki Donovan. "Something like that," she said.

"You should go and talk to him," Mason said, "He's…having a hard time. He could use a friend like _you_." He lowered his voice and leaned forward slightly. "Sheila...she had a way of calming people like us. A magical touch, you know?"

Bonnie's eyes widened and she nodded, dumbstruck. He knew their secret. Did that mean Tyler knew? Did Carol? Had the mayor? She doubted it very much. Carol was a part of the council. If they knew then Bonnie would have either been a recruit or a target depending on how they were feeling that day. But they suspected maybe? And Mason knew.

"I won't say anything," Mason assured her, "We all have her secrets right?"

Bonnie thought about the thing that was still a mystery to her. The fact that Tyler and Richard Lockwood had reacted to the Gilbert Device. But they weren't vampires. She was sure of it. She didn't get the same sense of foreboding from them. She had touched Tyler before and she had touched Mason unintentionally when she had bumped into him. She hadn't felt bad, if anything it was the opposite. There was a draw there that she couldn't explain.

"Where's Tyler?" Bonnie said, clearing her throat.

Mason gestured down the hallway to where his eyes had wandered before. "His father's den," he said, "Down the hall to the left." Bonnie moved toward the direction that he had gestured, but his voice stopped her. "It's good seeing you again, Bonnie," he said.

Bonnie smiled warily before turning and heading toward where he had told her Tyler was waiting. She needed something else to focus on. Something to distract her from her dark mood and figuring out what secret the Lockwoods were keeping would work as good as anything else. Maybe lingering around for a while wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

 **:::**

Tyler Lockwood sat on the couch in his father's den, the black flask clutched in his hand. He had drunken his dad's favorite scotch before. He'd stolen some from his liquor cabinet once while dating Vicki, trying to impress her, but he had never drunken from the flask. Now that his dad was dead he supposed it didn't really matter. Besides, Mason had even taken a swig or two.

He moved to take another swig but stopped at the sound of footsteps. They were softer and more hesitant than Mason's. He looked toward the door and raised an eyebrow as his brown eyes landed on Bonnie Bennett. "Hey," he said straightening.

He remembered his attempt to flirt with her during the Founder's Day Celebration after he had taken the picture of her with Caroline and Matt. It seemed like something that was so far away now. It had went over her head. It always did.

Being friends with Elena and Caroline had made Bonnie insecure. She didn't wear her insecurities on her sleeve like Caroline did, but she shrunk herself next to them. Faded into the background at times. She didn't notice when guys showed interest in her because she never expected them to. It made her easy prey in a certain sense and more likely to remain alone in another.

Tyler had never really gotten it. He had always thought that she was beautiful. Looking at her in that moment he felt some of the incessant anger he was feeling all the time now dissipate. He watched the way her body moved, uncertain and graceful as she walked over to where he sat. Her green eyes looked down at him with empathy but the pity he didn't want to see was also absent and he was grateful for it.

"Hey," she murmured as she sat down next him, "How you holding up?"

Tyler shook his head as he kicked off his boots as he leaned back against the couch. He titled his head upward and stared at the ceiling. It was a weighted question, with a weighted answer. But since he had practically had a heart to heart Jeremy Gilbert that same day, he guessed that opening up to someone he actually liked wouldn't hurt. Besides, something inside of him was telling him that he was supposed to confide in her. That she was his to confide in.

"Angry," he said, "I'm angry all the time. I was before…but it's worse now. I hate him, but I miss him."

Bonnie nodded and then surprised him by kicking her own shoes off and removing her cardigan. Again he watched her move as she folded her legs beneath her and spread her sweater across her lap. "You don't really ever stop," she sighed, "being angry I mean. Death changes people."

He swallowed. He knew that already. She was different, since her grandmother had passed. She had been bubbly before, always smiling. There was something harder about her now, but also something powerful. But there was something broken about her too, probably the same thing that was now broken in him.

"I remember," Bonnie said, "When grams died. There was a woman at the wake. Mrs. Robinson. She lived across the street. She was going on and on about how much she loved grams. The week before grams died she had told her that she belonged in the psych ward when grams had said she was due for an aura cleanse. She had this wig and I just kept thinking about how easy it would be to snatch it off her head in front of everyone and light it on fire."

Tyler let out a surprised bark of laughter. He knew she would understand. Everyone was downstairs lying about what a good man his father was. While Sheila was a good woman, she had her faults. He remembered the funeral. His mother had always said Sheila was unstable and that she taught occult studies because she was obsessed with the paranormal and because she couldn't get a degree in a real subject. At the funeral his mom had brought a casserole and made a speech about what a loss Sheila was to the community. It was easier to praise people when they were dead than alive. Easier to lie when they were just a memory.

He turned his gaze back to her and grinned. "You should've done it," he said, "I would've."

"Probably," she laughed. She made a gesture toward the flask in his hand. "What's in it?" she asked.

Instead of answering Tyler handed the flask over to her. He chuckled as she made a face after taking a sip. "Thank you for coming," he said, "I'm glad you're here." A shadow passed over her face and her expression turned dark a moment; but then she was nodding and smiling slightly.

Tyler felt the need to be closer to her. Something was pulling him forward. He was so calm. No. That wasn't right. He wasn't angry. He was at ease for what seemed like the first time in ages but he wasn't calm. There was something else building inside of him. A heat, tight and coiled in the pit of his stomach. Without thinking he leaned forward and took the flask from her hands, setting in on the top of the table in front of the couch.

Bonnie's green gaze grew wary. "Tyler?" she frowned, "Are you okay?"

He wasn't sure what his expression looked like but there was something in it that gave her pause. He didn't really know what he was doing. He felt hot. He felt like something was pulsing inside of him, bursting and trying to get out.

Her brown hands reached out and framed his face. His skin seemed to tingle where she touched him and as she jumped slightly he was sure she had felt it too. He blinked several times to clear his head and suddenly she was glowing like there was a light projecting from underneath her skin.

He was suddenly hyperaware of her scent, vanilla and lavender. He could feel the thundering of her pulse beneath her skin, hear her heart pounding in his ears. It felt good. Right. Intense. Ions better than the anger, the sorrow, and the loneliness and grief.

His hands reached out and gripped her hips and he tugged her forward. He was only going to hold her, hug her. That's all it was at first. Him holding her, probably a little too tightly. She wrapped her arms around him anyway. "Just for a little while," he whispered.

"Whatever you need," she responded, "For however long you need."

He nuzzled her neck, meaning to seek comfort but that had only made the feeling in the pit of his stomach worse. He pulled back slightly, feeling the urge to bite down and make a mark there in the space between her neck and shoulder. He knew then that something was wrong and he pulled back further attempting to put some space between them.

As he pulled away from her, he looked into her eyes and froze. His mind was telling him that being away from her was not an option. That there was something in her, something inherent that he needed for his own survival. It didn't make sense, but neither did the fact that she was still glowing. Like moonbeams were trying to escape from underneath her skin.

His mind wandered to an assignment he had had in English the year before. To find a poem he liked and read aloud to the class. He had read one of the translations of Pablo Neruda's _, Ode to a Naked Beauty_ as a joke because of the title. There was a line that came to mind as he looked at Bonnie in that moment, " _Under your skin the moon is alive."_ The line had never made sense to him until that moment.

Then he was kissing her, her lips soft and pliant beneath his. He expected her to push him away but she responded to him, hesitant at first. After a while she seemed to melt into him as her lips moved against his.

He had kissed plenty of other girls before but somehow as his tongue swept over her bottom lip to taste her, she tasted sweeter. As he pulled her into his lap and she straddled him her body fit into his better. As he licked his way inside of her mouth, her moan sounded more beautiful to his ears. It was as if something in him had crowned her above all of the rest and he didn't know how or when.

It was because she was his, his mind supplied. She was his to take in a way that the others hadn't been. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and yes, he would take and she would give. That's what she was saying without saying, with the fingers she ran through his hair. With the tongue she slid over the roof of his mouth. With the hips that were beginning to grind slow circles down into his lap. He could take whatever he needed.

He needed her, he decided. One of his hands lowered to her thigh and slid upward, just beneath the hem of her dress. Then someone cleared their throat. The sound seemed far away and distant at first. But then Bonnie stiffened and Tyler felt his anger that had gone resurface as she pulled away from the kiss.

She moved to get out of his lap but he held her place and she stilled. He turned toward the source of her sudden discomfort and wasn't too surprised to see his uncle standing in the doorway. "What is it?" he asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance as he glared.

Bonnie hid her face in his neck as Tyler replaced one of the straps of dress that had fallen down her shoulder before Mason spoke. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, but he didn't sound sincere at all. He didn't look sincere either. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Your mom is looking for you," he said, "She needs you to come back and play gracious co-host. Everyone is leaving."

Tyler sighed and his head fell back against the back of the couch once more. "Can you stall her?" he asked.

Mason nodded. "Not for long but I can cover you," he said, "You got five minutes. Ten if I can pull out the charm."

"Thanks," Tyler muttered, closing his eyes. Whatever high he had been on was wearing off and the real world was coming back in.

Mason left again without another word. Tyler was relieve as Bonnie relaxed slightly when he did. He half expected her to freak out and make a run for it.

"You okay?" she asked, running her hands up and down his chest. The gesture, he knew, was supposed to be calming; but it just brought the burning sensation back to the pit of his stomach.

"No," he shrugged, "But I've got to get down there anyway."

Bonnie nodded. Her hands stilled. "I should probably go," she whispered. Tyler expected her to move but she remained still. "Did you maybe...," she cleared her throat, "Did you want to come over later?"

Tyler was surprised one moment and relieved the next. Whatever this was, he didn't want to ignore it. Being with her made him forget. It was the best he had felt in a long time. "Yeah, okay," he agreed. He lifted his head and kissed her gently on the lips, smiling when she responded.

Then reluctantly he unwound his arms from around her and watched as she got up and silently gathered her things. He stood a moment later, stretching and then bending down to slip his shoes back on. When he stood up, Bonnie was closer to him than he expected.

"I..," she seemed like there was a lot that she wanted to say but she finally settled on, "I'll see you later." The statement sounded more like a question.

"Yeah. I'll call you," he said, trying to keep his tone both firm and reassuring.

Bonnie surprised him again as she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him down until their lips met. He smiled into the kiss, but she pulled back too quickly for his liking. Still there was a promise there. _Whatever he needed, he could take_. "Okay," she said aloud.

"Okay," he replied. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. She squeezed his hand briefly before she pulled away and he was suddenly lost again. The grief and the anger returning.  
With a murmured goodbye she was gone and then Tyler stood there for what seemed like an eternity before his mother found him. He followed her out of the room silently. He could play the perfect host for now, the new man of the house. Because as impossible as it seemed there was something to look forward to one the other side of it. When it was over, he would call Bonnie.

 **:::**

Katherine Pierce was hauled up in a hotel. She wouldn't get a more permanent place of residence until the next day. It was late and she still had plans to make. Starting the cat and mouse game with the Salvatore brothers was as easy as it had ever been. She needed them distracted and with their focus split between the doppelganger and keeping their own fragile bond intact with Katherine's sudden reappearance she had gotten exactly that.

The only problem was that she had gotten off on the wrong foot with the Bennett witch and that would be a problem. But it couldn't be helped. Still the girl was more powerful and resourceful than expected. She would need to learn and hone her skills but she could be of use once she was able to. Besides, Katherine still had a few cards in play.

She jolted as she felt the phone in her back pocket vibrate. It would only be one of two people. She answered it and smiled. "Tell me that you have good news for me," she said.

"Hey babe," Mason's voice answered, "I miss you too. My day was kind of shitty with the whole mourning my dead brother thing. Thanks for asking. How was yours?"

Katherine sighed. "Sorry," she frowned, "I didn't mean…you know I don't do the mushy concerned partner thing. That's Lucy's thing. She'll be here soon and so you can cry all over her shoulder."

She could practically hear Mason rolling his eyes. "I seriously have no idea why we put up with you," he said, "Me and Luce should just run away together, get married and make werewitch babies."

Katherine winced. She knew that he was joking but it wasn't something out of the realm of possibility. They were helping her because they wanted her to be out of Klaus's influence but they didn't really get the lengths in which she would have to go yet. Besides that, Mason's wolf had chosen Lucy first. Katherine was an add-on. It wasn't at all outside of the realm of possibilities that after all of this, she would be abandoned again.

"Before you start shopping for minivans and houses with white picket fences could we get on with the plan first," she said, "Did you get any information on the witch?"

"She has a name," he chastised, "And since she's Lucy's cousin then I am guessing she would appreciate you using it." Katherine made a scoffing noise and he laughed. "Anyway," he said, "You were right. You said you've been watching them for a while. Piecing together Elena's life. Well you were dead on. She's the one Tyler's wolf wants. I don't know how you figured it out. I could only tell after I touched her. But I bumped into her and suggested that she go and talk to him. By the time I found them again they were practically dry humping on the couch in Richard's den."

"Really?" Katherine grinned, "I was expecting at least another week of them dancing around the issue. They run in the same crowd but they're not exactly besties. Then again you don't really have to be to make the beast with two backs."

"I hate it when you call it that," Mason replied, "But anyway…at the rate their going, there's a chance that she could trigger his wolf gene. If she hasn't started the process already."

Werewolves were secretive at the best of times. Most of their lore didn't make it outside of the wolf and witch communities for that reason. For that reason it wasn't common knowledge that the werewolf gene could be triggered by one of two things, either the first kill or the consummation of a mating bond. The only reason that Katherine knew was because both of her lovers were bond mates with each other.

Had Lucy or Mason been more powerful and their bond a pure one, Katherine wouldn't have been able to infiltrate herself into it and neither would anyone else. A bond between the last of the Bennett line and any other supernatural creature would almost have to be pure and unable to be broken easily, if at all. But the boy, the Lockwood boy, was a true alpha, one of the last of his kind and they were descended from the first werewolves in existence so the bond would inevitably be forged in steel if it were to occur.

"If she bonds with Tyler then she'll see you as pack," Katherine said, "As family. It'll be easier then…to sway her to our side."

"Maybe," Mason said, "But maybe not." It was the uncertainty that was the problem.

 **:::**

Bonnie Bennett stared down at the grimoire in her lap without really seeing its contents. She couldn't process the text. Her mind was fixed on Tyler Lockwood.

After she had left the Lockwoods she had spent about an hour berating herself in her head. She hadn't gone to Tyler with the intention of getting physical with him at all. She didn't have that much experience with boys as it was and majority of the time her nerves got the better of her. She had had to be talked into kissing Ben after all and that had been a huge mistake.

But kissing Tyler was something else entirely. It was out of character for her but it had felt right. Natural. Innate. Bonnie shook her head. She was trying to get her thoughts together but they were scattered in a million different places.

Everything in her had responded to him. Her mind, her body, her power. That was another thing. It was odd but she felt her powers more acutely than she had since finding out their existence. It didn't make any sense but whatever it was that he was, was drawing her in.

She had decided that the sooner she found out the Lockwood's secret, the sooner that she would be able to explain her own odd behavior. She had remembered something about a George Lockwood mentioned in Emily's grimoire and so that was the first place that she had decided to look.

However, she was distracted. Her mind kept wandering to Tyler. His eyes. The way he had stared at her. Hungry, almost, his pupils blown out wide. The way his lips had felt against hers, soft and full. The slide of his tongue into her mouth. The feel of his hands. The impossible heat of his skin. The way that he seemed to understand her in those brief moments of conversation, to need her in a way that no one else ever had.

Sighing Bonnie slammed the grimoire shut. She wasn't going to find out anything tonight. She was sure of. She decided that she was going to do the only thing that she could seem to force her mind to allow her to, wait for Tyler to call.

She wasn't really sure that it had been a good idea to invite him over, but she wanted to see him. To be with him. When she was with him, she could forget. She didn't feel empty or angry or broken and raw. When he had touched she had just felt wanted and desire for him in turn.

Bonnie was brought out of her revelry by a knock on the front door. Frowning she stood from her seat on the couch and looked down at herself self-consciously. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and pair of pajama shorts. It was late and though she was expecting Tyler, she was hoping that he would call first, so that she would have time to change.

Bonnie shook her head. It didn't really matter what she was wearing. He was still grieving and if it was him, then he had probably just come over because he needed someone to talk to. There was a chance that whatever she had been feeling about the kiss wasn't what he was feeling at all. That it had just been a way for him to feel something outside of the anger and mourning. She could understand that. Besides that she had meant it when she had said that she had wanted to be there for him. They hadn't talked much before this but they could start and even with everything, she had always considered him a friend.

With those thoughts in mind Bonnie stood and walked out of her living room and out into the foyer until she reached the front door. She looked moved the curtain slightly until she could see out the glass window and wasn't surprised to see Tyler standing on her front porch illuminated by the porch light.

"Hey," she said, as she opened the door to him.

"Hey," he responded, "Sorry I didn't call. Things just got really bad after you left and I just…had to get out of the house. Can I come in?"

Bonnie nodded and stepped aside as he walked over the threshold. She hadn't thought he was a vampire, but him not needing an actual verbal invitation had confirmed it and for that she was relieved. Still she didn't know exactly what he was or what was causing her reaction to him.

He brushed up against her as he walked inside and she shivered slightly as she closed the door behind him.

Turning Bonnie watched him as he took of his jacket and hung on the coat rack by the door. "Do you want to talk about it?" Bonnie asked.

"I..," Tyler frowned. He didn't want to scare her. He was already scaring himself. He had practically attacked his mother and Mason had to physically restrain him and talk him down afterward. The curse of being a Lockwood, that's what Mason had called it before advising Tyler to go somewhere and clear his head. Going to see Bonnie was the first thing that he could think of after that. "Not really," he said, "I got into a fight with my mom. Like I said, I've been angry a lot lately. I almost got physical with her…Mason had to restrain me and then I left. I came here because I didn't know where else to go."

Bonnie supposed the only other place he could go was to Matt's but he was still at the hospital with Caroline. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Bonnie said biting her lip, "I was thinking…about what happened before I left your house today..."

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea," Tyler said, before she continued. Her face fell slightly and he shook his head. "No I mean," he sighed, "I didn't do it because I was angry or upset or whatever. I kissed you because I wanted to. I needed to. It was something I've wanted to do for a while now."

Bonnie's eyes widened at the admission. "Oh," she muttered. She thought about her words carefully before she spoke. She wasn't sure where the idea came from, or perhaps she was, but she wanted to be with him. She wanted them both to be able to forget, even if it was just for a little while. "I was thinking," she said, "I haven't been able to feel much of anything good lately. Not until you kissed me and I thought…maybe we could just not think about everything else and just be together tonight."

She wasn't asking for a commitment or for him to make any promises. Too many people had broken promises to her already, promises to him too. But they could be two friends that found comfort in each other. Even if something was telling Bonnie that it would never be just that in between them. That it would always be something more. Something palpable, something that was beginning to make her heart beat a little faster even though she couldn't identify it.

Tyler was quiet a long time before he took a step forward and then another and another. Bonnie stepped back until she realized that she had been backed up against the front door. She swallowed as his brown eyes moved over her face until they settled on her lips.

She wasn't surprised when he kissed her, but she was surprised by her own eager response. Perhaps she shouldn't have been. It wasn't as if it hadn't been that way the first time around. When he pulled back and looked down at her, Bonnie took a deep breath and built up her nerve before she said her next words. "Did you want to go upstairs?"

Tyler nodded. "Okay," he said. When she reached out her hand, he took it. He allowed himself to be lead upstairs and through the house he hadn't really been inside since middle school.

When they reached Bonnie's bedroom she hesitated a moment before she opened the door and ushered him inside. It was smaller than his but a lot cleaner. The bright red on the walls made him smile as did the floral bed sheets. It all seemed more in line with the way she had been before however, than the way that she was now. The Bonnie that she had been before would have never invited Tyler Lockwood into her house, let alone into her bedroom. But then again, he was different now too.

Tyler walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge of it. When Bonnie stayed standing across the room, he motioned for her and she walked over to him at a much slower pace than necessary.

Once she was in arm's reach, he pulled her to stand in between his parted legs. "When you said you wanted us to be together tonight," he said, quietly, "Did you mean-" Bonnie nodded before he could continue. "Have you ever-" he began but she shook her head before he could finish the question. Tyler swallowed, tampering down something inside of him that seemed to howl happily at the news that he would be the first one to have her. The only one, his mind corrected but he ignored it. "Are you sure?"

Again Bonnie nodded. "I trust you," she whispered, and then, "And I want you." She was embarrassed by the admission but it was no more embarrassing than whatever else they were about to embark on. His eyes seemed to glow for a moment, changing to a bronze color before fading back to brown. She decided that she was seeing things when he next spoke.

"We can do this at your pace," he said, "I'll take care of you. Then after…if you want to try something else then we can try something else. It's whatever you want."

Bonnie wasn't sure exactly what he meant but she nodded anyway. Then he was kissing her and she found that she really didn't care what he did as long as he didn't stop.

The touches were soft on both sides at first. A gentle exploration. His hands in her hair, her trailing light fingertips beneath his shirt. But then they got more aggressive before either of them realized it and Bonnie could only call what they were doing pawing at each other as Tyler sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.

When their clothes started to disappear, she was sure she would feel self-conscious but that wasn't what happened. She felt like her body was his to look at, his to appreciate as he pulled her t-shirt over her head and tugged her shorts down over her hips, taking her panties with them.

"You're beautiful," he said, once she was laying naked on her back on the bed, "Your skin, your eyes, your face, your hair…everything. You're so fucking beautiful, Bonnie."

Bonnie blinked several times, fighting the urge to cry. She barely registered it as he took off his clothes, so focused was she on his words. Then he was leaning over her kissing along her jaw, the weight of his body on top of her both new and oddly familiar all at once.

"You're beautiful too," she said as she looked up at him, her hands ran down his chest. She knew she sounded silly but she was serious. She meant it. The deep brown of his eyes. His strong jaw. The muscle definition of his body. His tan skin. He was beautiful and he was glowing. She was sure when it started but he was fucking glowing.

She opened her mouth to ask if she was going crazy but stopped when he laughed a little at her words. Then his hands were on her and then his mouth. Trailing kisses and sucking bruises into her exposed skin.

She felt the low hum of her power just beneath the surface. She tried to give as good as she got. Returning the touches as best she could but her skin was so hot and there was something happening. She could feel it. Something building outside of the pleasure that was causing the ache in between her legs.

Then his mouth trailed down and by the time that she felt his tongue inside of her the lights were flickering. Something was wrong. She should stop him. Warn him. But she couldn't. She needed him. She gasped a finger joined his tongue and then another.

She felt like she was going to burst out of her own skin. She couldn't breathe, but her fingers threaded through his hair and she pressed him closer. Her hips jerked upward for more but it wasn't enough. The lights flickered on and off at a faster rate and she could here the wind howling outside. Her magic. It was there, a living and breathing thing. It wanted something else.

She tugged impatiently at Tyler's hair. He lifted his head upward and looked at her. she realized for the first time that his eyes seemed glazed over. He was down on all fours, his fist were clenched in the sheets, and he was hard. "What do you need?" he asked, his voice low and husky, "Tell me what you want and I'll do it."

She didn't know how she knew but she could tell that he was restraining himself. Pushing down some like of inbred instinct so hard that he was beginning to tremble with. "Whatever you're trying to stop yourself from doing," she said, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears, "I need you to do it."

She didn't really know what she was saying. She knew what she was asking for and yet didn't have any idea.

He was off the bed in seconds. Digging in the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his wallet, and then pulling out condom.

Bonnie blinked at the speed in which he put in one and then he was on top of her again, nudging her legs apart with his knees. When he lifted her hips and pushed inside of her, there was a slight pain but she welcomed it because her magic began to hum happily through her body and then there was pleasure, so much pleasure, even with the pain as he pulled out of her pushed back again.

Tyler had tried to keep his head on straight. But he had been gone even before he had gotten her completely naked. Something demanding that he take. Something telling him that he had to cover her with his scent. That he had to mark every expanse of exposed skin. That he had to show her who she belonged to. She was his. She was his. She was his. With each thrust, the mantra was repeated.

She was moaning louder and louder and then her voice gave way something else. An odd chant leaving he lips, words in a language that he didn't understand. He wanted to stop and because something wasn't right. But it was right. It had be right. He had never felt anything so right. So her kept thrusting, harder and faster until she wasn't saying anything but his name over and over again.

Bonnie's eyes closed and then opened. She stared up at the ceiling and they widened. There was a pentacle there, made up of flames. A spell. She was doing some sort of spell. She closed her eyes again and tried to clear her head and tell Tyler to stop. But then all she could hear where his moans and the sound of his heavy breathing. All she could say when she opened her mouth, was, "Tyler, please," she said. He had to finish it. What she wasn't sure but it had to be him. His eyes were glowing again as they looked down at her a brighter shade than the bronze before. " _Please_."

He knew what she was asking even though a part of him didn't understand. She had told him not to restrain himself. He had to do what she said. He had to listen. She was his but he was hers and he had to listen.

He looked down at her at watched as she exposed her neck to. _Submission_ , his mind supplied. This time when the urge to bite came to him he succumbed to it. Leaning forward, he wrapped his mouth around flesh of juncture between her neck and shoulder and he bit down until he broke the skin.


	2. Part Two: Ad Infinitum

**Title:** Under Our Skin

 **Rating:** M

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural/Romance

 **Pairing(s):** Bonnie/Tyler, Mason/Katherine, Mason/Lucy, Katherine/Lucy, Lucy/Mason/Katherine, Caroline/Matt, etc.

 **Summary:** A one night stand brought on my grief and comfort reveals the secret of Bonnie's heritage to Tyler and the Lockwood curse to them both when Tyler's wolf is triggered by something unexpected resulting in a magical bond that has permanent consequences if it remains unbroken. AU from 2x01.

 **Warnings:** Language, Sexual Content, Violence, Dub-Con, etc.

 _ **Author's Note: Reminder this fic is AU from 2x01, so Matt and Caroline are still a thing and Tyler and Caroline are not a thing at all. Lol. Also again this fic will feature human Caroline. I hope you like this part. No editing here so please excuse all errors. As always thanks for reading!**_

 **Part Two || Ad Infinitum**

" _Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."_

— **Buddha**

Bonnie Bennett awoke slowly, her eyelids heavy as she opened them. Her head was pounding. There was an ache in her things and between her legs. She closed her eyes again and tried to remember what had happened after the bite, after she realized that there had been some kind of spell.

"Bonnie?" The voice, deep and smooth and perfect; made her feel like she was floating. Hands warm and gentle as they framed her face seemed to anchor her to the bed "Please tell me that you're awake."

Bonnie opened her eyes again and this time she shifted her body toward the sound. She nodded as they yellowed eyes glowed down at her, searching and scanning. "Your voice," she said. That was all that she could put into words. She wanted to hear the voice again. Wanted to keep. To wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Ever since her grams died she had felt cold but she was warm now. Hot. Safe.

"Yours too," the voice answered, "It sounds different. Nice. Like…warm honey."

Bonnie blinked. "That doesn't make sense," she whispered. Still she felt her cheeks flush. Her brain was telling her that she was speaking to Tyler, but there was an _other_ that she could sense as well. Another entity that seemed to trapped on the inside, that was coming out through the glow in his eyes and pounding of his heart.

"It makes sense to me." His thumb stroked her cheek and then he spoke again. She was happy to hear even if his words seemed to make things even more confusing. "Are you okay?" he asked, "I don't remember everything, but things got kind of rough after I bit you. You blacked out I think. Things got kind of hazy and I felt like my skin was ripping open and then blacked out. When I woke up you were there and then we…had sex again I think. But it was different. Slower. Your scent changed. You smelled like me. Then we did it again but it was more frenzied and I had to mark you everywhere….I had to…"

Bonnie frowned as she felt his body begin to tremble. "Tyler?" she left the concern for him leak into her voice and tried to ignore the way that her own body had been affected by his words.

His hands moved downward, sliding around her back and she realized that they were both still very much naked. She was trying to focus on calming him down but something else was telling her to submit to whatever her wanted even though her body was exhausted and she could sense that something was off.

"I need you to focus." Her words might have had more an impact if her voice hadn't broken at the end of the statement. If her she hadn't reached run her fingers through his hair as his mouth fitted over the bite mark on her neck, sucking and causing a dual sensation of pain and pleasure that made her arch upward off the bed.

"I'm focused," he answered, his lips moving against her skin, "I can't think about anything else."

When he kissed her Bonnie responded for a moment until her eyes looked up at the ceiling and saw the singe marks that remained from the pentacle that had been there the night before. Gently she pushed him away. "No," she said.

Whatever had been clawing and trying to get out of him seemed to settle at the word and his eyes dulled to their normal brown. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I thought you wanted…"

Bonnie shook her head quickly. "It isn't that I didn't want…," she sighed, "I need you to focus…but _not on me_. On the room. Something happened last night. Something is wrong, Tyler." Wrong didn't feel like the right word and she felt a sharp pain just thinking about it. Whatever it was it was right, but new. Something that hadn't been there before but not wrong.

"Wrong?" Tyler frowned as if his thoughts had mirrored hers.

"Not wrong," Bonnie amended, "But something happened." She pointed up at the ceiling. She felt a since of loss as Tyler moved away from her and looked upward.

"What the hell is that?" Tyler frowned as he looked up at the ceiling to see what looked to burn marks in the form of star enclosed in a circle.

Instead of answering Bonnie continued survey the room. There were tears in the sheets and the mattress. Things knocked over on her desk and her nightstand. Scratch marks on the walls. "Is that from…us?" Bonnie asked, her eyes settling on the wall.

"Yeah," Tyler muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

Bonnie looked down at herself and sighed. While there was only one bite mark on her neck, there was an array of hickeys all over her body. Her frowned deepened as she came to the mark about three inches in size, on the front of her shoulder underneath the bite mark, though it looked more like a tattoo of some sort. It was a series of interlaced thick red lines that were outlined in black. The completed formation looked like sort of weaving, and she couldn't tell whether it started or ended.

When she looked at Tyler she noted that he had a similar mark on his chest, except his was green and black. She reached out and touched symbol on Tyler's chest and it seemed to glow as she did, the colors shining out from the inside. She had seen the symbol before but she couldn't place.

She was wracking her brain for what it was and what it meant when her attention snapped into focus as Tyler wrapped an arm around the wrist of the hand she had placed on his chest. He lifted it up and his eyes narrowed. "Where did this ring come from?"

She hadn't noticed the ring until she spoke but as she looked down she recognized the type of ring it was. An infinity ring. She had only seen a picture of one once in one of the occult books that grandmother used to teach out of. This one was more intricate than the one that she had seen before. It looked to be three separate wrings, all thin, made of different metals. Silver. Copper. Gold. They were all twisted to form and infinity symbol and knotted together into one ring. She couldn't remember exactly what the caption under the image had said but she remember the words, eternal, faithfulness, and love.

Bonnie blinked several times. "I have one too," Tyler said, holding up his hand, "Exactly the same."

He was right, unlike the tattoo like marks which were different colors, Tyler's ring was the same as hers. They were both wearing them on the ring fingers of their left hands. That was a huge red flag Bonnie knew. "This is my fault," she whispered, as she remembered the surge of power she had felt, "I don't remember what I did but I must have done something. I'm so sorry."

Tyler gripped her shoulders gently and shook his head. "Whatever happened it couldn't be your fault," he sighed, "just calm down. I don't like seeing you upset. We'll figure it out. Mason was being weird yesterday. He said some things…maybe he knows something."

Bonnie shook her head. "You don't understand," she said, "I'm not who you think I am. I'm not…" She looked down at her hands and felt herself shaking. If he hated her after this she would die. She knew that she would. She couldn't live if he hated her. There would be no point. "The things that some of the people used to say about my grams and my family," she whispered, "They're true. I'm a witch."

"What?" Tyler frowned. However, even as the word left his mouth, something inside of him said that it was true. She was a witch. His witch. Her power was his power. His power was her power. He had felt it. Seen it shining out from beneath her skin and calling out to him like a beacon of light. "I don't understand."

"It doesn't matter," she said as she threw back the covers, "I'll fix it. I'll figure it out and I'll fix whatever happened and you won't…you won't have to deal with whatever this is or me anymore. It was just supposed to be a onetime thing right? Then I did something. Fucked something up. Probably some subconscious urge not to be alone anymore. I don't know but you should have to deal with my bullshit."

She stumbled as she stood her feet and Tyler shot up, catching her before she could fall and pulling her against his chest. "You need to calm down," he repeated.

Bonnie shook her head. "No I have to fix it," she said, "I have to…" She began to wave her hands and everything in the room began to right itself. When she stopped she was still shaking but her room looked exactly how it always did. There was no evidence of why had happened the night before. Even the mark on the ceiling had gone. But the rings and marks on t their bodies were still there. "How did I…" she trailed, "I don't know how I just did that. I don't…what's happening to me. I'm losing control. I have to-"

" _Bonnie_ ," Tyler snapped and the tone made Bonnie still immediately.

It might have scared another person but she found that it calmed her. She waited for further instruction, no longer trembling. "Look at me," Tyler instructed.

She looked up and his eyes had yellowed again but that didn't scare her either. It should have. She still didn't know what he was. _But you do_ , a voice in her mind told her, _you know_.

"You're calm," Tyler said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Bonnie nodded. Her alpha wanted her calm and so she calm. Alpha? Bonnie ignored the question from the rational part of her mind and repeated Tyler's words instead. "I'm calm," she said.

She was. It wasn't a lie. She felt at ease. Safe. Him taking control of the situation was something she needed. It made her feel secure. Still it didn't make sense. He was the first person she had ever slept with, the first to see her naked. The first to see her so vulnerable, because she was vulnerable in every way possible at the moment; standing naked in her room without much memory of then night before with her powers seemingly developing a life of their own. Those thing alone should have been enough to send her reeling but she was unbothered.

She was drawing strength from Tyler's strength, even though she wasn't sure where it came from. She was focusing on the tingling sensation where their skin made contact and the pounding of his heart in her ears.

"Everything will be okay," he said, and she believe him. He pulled her back toward the bed and she allowed. Allowed him to pull her into his lap as he sat with his back against the headboard. Allowed him to wrap his arms around her and nuzzle her neck where the bite mark stood out against her skin; that should have probably hurt but just felt really good where he touched her. "Now tell me everything," he said, "Tell me why you think this is your fault. Start at the beginning."

Bonnie told him everything, from the beginning when the Salvatore had shown. She told him about discovering her powers, about Emily and her necklace. About Katherine and the Salvatore being vampires. About Vicki and what had really happened to her. About the tomb vampires and how her grandmother had died. She told him about how she had learned a few spells when she had bene away right after. About how helpless she had felt and still felt. About how she had just wanted to do the right thing and protect the town. She told him about the Gilbert device and what had happened the night of his accident and the night his father died.

At the mention his father and the reason that he, Matt, and Caroline had gotten into the crash, Tyler had stiffened and Bonnie had paused. He didn't say anything, just rubbed his hands down her arms and buried his face in her neck and so she continued. She told him about the reason she had sought him out aside for her only feelings of guilt and her understanding of his loss. About her odd encounter with Mason. She didn't stop until she came to the point the night before where she had realized that there was something happening with her powers.

"I have to go," he said once she was finished.

Bonnie froze and she felt tears prickling in the corner of hers. "If I had known that you and your father would react to the device I never would've-"

"Bonnie," Tyler sighed, closing his eyes, "I don't…I don't blame you for what happened. I wish things were different but you were trying to protect the town. You weren't doing anything malicious. I'm not mad at you, I'm not happy…but I understand okay. I know you well enough to know that if you thought there was another way you would've found it. You wouldn't have had to act at all if the Salvatore hadn't shown up. This is their fault. If they hadn't come here and brought Katherine here…my dad, your grams, and Vicki could be alive right now and Caroline wouldn't be in the hospital. I know you made some choices that turned out bad but you were backed into a corner and you were trying to help Elena and Stefan and protect everyone. I get it."

Bonnie shook her head. "Then why are you leaving?" she asked. Shifting in his arms, she turned around to face him. "If you mad then be mad," she frowned, "I get it. I deserve it. If you lie to make me feel better, I'm just going to feel worse."

"I'm confused and little scared and disappointed," he said, "I don't know what the fuck is going on right now. Yeah, I'm angry, but like I said…not at you. We have to figure out what happened and if Mason made a comment that made it seem like he knew about your powers that's the first place we need to look. I told you…he was acting weird yesterday. I think he knew that whatever happened was going to happen. I don't want you around him until I know if I can trust him. I need you safe. You said your grams put spells on this place? Protective spells? And the Salvatore haven't been invited in?"

Bonnie nodded, closing her eyes as he kissed her forehead.

"You're staying here," he said, "I'll feel better if you're somewhere no one can touch you since I won't be with you." His words surprised her, as did the fierce protective tone but he seemed to have surprised himself as well so Bonnie just nodded again. "Don't go to school. Don't leave the house until you hear from me."

"I'll look into things on my end," Bonnie said as he got up and began to put on his clothes. She watched silently, not bothering to cover herself or keep her gaze on him at eye level. It was strange that she didn't feel any shame or hesitance at either. "You'll come back?"

Tyler turned as he finished buttoning up his shirt. The buttons were done up wrong. He was clearly more upset than he was letting on but he was restraining himself for her sake.

Sighing Bonnie stood, fidgeting self-consciously as Tyler's eyes gave her a once over and the yellow tint returned slightly. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, as she brushed his hands away and buttoned up his shirt the right way. She noted that she had left her own marks on his skin as well. "Don't worry. Just stay here."

"Okay," Bonnie agreed, "Be careful with Mason."

Tyler's expression darkened at the mention of his uncle. "I'll handle him, _luna,_ " he said. Bonnie reached up and touched his face and his scowl disappeared. "Don't worry," he murmured, "It'll be okay, _mea lux_."

Bonnie's expression became even more worried. "Since when do you speak Latin?" she asked. She recognized the language that was used to create some of the spells that were documented in the journals and grimoires of her family members that her grandmother had left behind. " _My light_ ," that was what he had said. The endearment seemed to make Bonnie warm from the inside, even if she wasn't sure where it had come from.

"One more thing I have to get out of here and figure out," Tyler muttered.

Grabbing her face in his hands he titled her head and kissed her on lips. Bonnie closed her eyes as he pulled away feeling slightly disoriented at the loss. When she opened them, he was gone.

 **:::**

Mason Lockwood was coming back from his morning run when his nephew finally returned home. He slunk into the front door of the mansion looking around and startling slightly when he saw Mason. Mason raised an eyebrow as Tyler stood upright and his eyes narrowed.

"You were gone all night," Mason grinned, "Have fun with Bonnie?" He watched as Tyler's hands clenched into fists and his eyes darkened and the yellowed.

"We need to talk," Tyler hissed under his breath.

Mason nodded. "I'm sure that we do," he said. He was about to suggest they find somewhere quiet and secluded when Carol rounded the corner, heading for the stares. Mason gave him a pointed look as Tyler stiffened, clearly agitated. "Morning, Carol," he said.

"Good morning." Carol smiled at Mason but her smile faded as she eyed Tyler. He was wearing the same clothes as he was the day before and he was sure he looked like hell. His shirt was wrinkled and his hair was tussled from Bonnie running her fingers through it and sleep and who the hell knew what else. There was also the marks that Bonnie had left all over his neck.

Tyler closed his eyes as he thought about Bonnie. He had fucked up. Left her while she was clearly upset and he was going out of his mind about it. His thoughts were almost in a frenzy with the need to go back and to reassure her. Make it right. He couldn't upset her. He couldn't hurt her. He was supposed to protect her. Protect. Possess. Own but never harm.

He hadn't harmed her but he had left her uncertain, but he knew he couldn't go back without answers. She was safer away from him right now, even as a part of him told him that she would need him always.

Tyler began to spin the ring around his finger. The gold, silver, and copper woven band that had appeared that he didn't understand. He had thought about removing it but he couldn't bring himself to take it off. The thought was almost agonizing. He spun the ring again and thought of Bonnie, trying to hide his agitation.

The move drew Mason's attention to it and as he looked at it his eyes grew almost comically wide. "Holy shit," he whispered under his breath, something akin to awe in his voice.

Tyler frowned. They had been right. Mason knew what the ring meant. He knew what it _all_ meant. Tyler would get the information even if he had to force it out of him.

"You look terrible," Carol frowned, eyeing Tyler with concern, "Where've you been all night?" Tyler opened his mouth to respond that he had stayed the night with Matt but he stopped when his mother's eyes landed on the marks on his neck. The lie was next to useless now. He watched as she sighed and shook her head. "Never mind," she said, "I don't want to know. You have school in a few hours. You should get ready soon."

Tyler nodded, even though he had no intentions of going to school, and watched as his mother ascended the stairs and then disappeared. As soon as she was out of sight, Tyler grabbed Mason's arm and dragged him into the parlor room shutting the set of double doors behind him.

"Yesterday," Tyler spat, not wasting any time, "You pop up out of fucking nowhere and all you do besides reminisce about my father is interrogate me about my anger issues and my rage episodes and push me toward Bonnie. You knew where I went yesterday and you knew what would happened. Don't deny it. You looked too fucking smug when I walked in just now."

Mason held up his hands. "Tyler," he frowned, "Calm down." He felt his own anger rising in response and he felt his wolf wrestling to show dominance but in spite of being older he wasn't the dominant one now that Tyler had bonded and it wasn't a battle that he would win.

"Calm down?" Tyler laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You want me to calm down when I woke up this morning after having the best sex I've ever had with a fucked up tattoo on my chest and ring that I can't take off as souvenirs. Oh and apparently I can speak Latin now. Then I find out that not only is the girl that I slept with is a witch, but she's also smart, and funny and beautiful and she really cares about people so I can't see her powers as anything other than this other part of her that just as amazing as everything else. She also played a part in my father's death but she's the only reason I made it through yesterday. I can be mad about what she did because she was trying to protect the town from fucking vampires. _Vampires_ Mason! You know like Dracula or those sparkly shits from fucking Twilight."

Mason snickered and Tyler felt the urge to rip him to shreds. Claw at his body until there was nothing left but pulp, but something was stopping him. Mason was family, no…he was pack…yes…that sounded right. Whatever the hell that meant, it meant more to whatever wasn't human inside of him than it did to Tyler at the moment.

"Then she tells me that there's a chance that I'm not even human and that you _knew_ about it. And I believe her," he stated, "Without question or substantial proof, because I trust her more than I trust anyone. Because overnight she became the most important thing to me. Every part of me wants to be with her right now and I feel like I going to explode out of my skin because I fucking I left her scared and freaked out so I could come over her and interrogate your dumb ass. I can't even be mad at her for any of this. Just you and the stupid fucking Salvatore brothers because apparently they're a part of the reason she was involved in what happened to dad in the first place and I want to fucking _kil_ l them. I want to kill them not just because of dad…no because of _Bonnie_. Because they upset Bonnie and they were involved in what happened to Miss Sheila and because I know if they're dead she'll feel safe. It's my job to make her safe but I don't fucking know why. So tell again to calm down."

"Are you done?" Mason asked. Tyler looked ready to attack him but Mason held up his hands. "Maybe you've forgotten but your mom is the head of the town council and I know you're not aware of this but they have this little objective to protect the town from anything supernatural," he said, "That includes witches. These are the same kind of people who incinerated Bonnie's ancestor and people like Bonnie for being what they are years ago. So if you really want to keep Bonnie safe then I suggest you listen to me and calm down. Then you can ask what you came here to ask."

Tyler felt himself deflate immediately. He knew that Mason was playing him. That his uncle knew that using Bonnie would get to him somehow but he couldn't bring himself to call him on it. It wouldn't take much for him to get confirmation about the council and the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Why else would Damon Salvatore want to endear himself to his mother? What better way to hide his own secret than to pretend to be fighting against beings like him?

Bonnie had mentioned it too hadn't she? He felt himself get even angrier as her realized the bastard and his brother had managed to get an open invitation into his home. He would have to fix that somehow. If they came after his Bonnie or his family in the meantime, they would regret it.

"What the hell is going on?" Tyler scowled, running his hands through his hair, "What's happening to me?"

"What was always meant to happen," Mason said, "Sit down. I'll explain everything."

Reluctantly Tyler sat down on the edge of the couch. He still looked ready to pounce at any many. His position was slightly crouched as if readying himself for a potential attack. His knew bounced up and down in agitation and he clasped his hands together in an attempt to keep calm.

"This is all insane," Tyler muttered. He glanced at Mason as his uncle sat down next to hime. "Tell me…," he began and then started over, "Why did you let me walk into whatever this is blindly? Why didn't you warn me? Even if I didn't believe you, having it put out there as a possibility would have been better than this."

Mason frowned. "I'm sorry," he said, "I needed you at your best. I needed Bonnie at her best. You guys are about to be involved in some heavy shit with or without me involved and you couldn't handle as you were. Well….Bonnie might have been able to but…she would've had to do it alone and the spirits…the witches on the other side…has she told you about them?"

Tyler nodded. "Vaguely," he said.

"They guide the witches on this side," he said, "Sheila is there now as well. They saw what would happen if Bonnie didn't have you and it wasn't an option. It would've led to her death Tyler."

Tyler felt sick to his stomach. The thought of Bonnie dying…but she was alive. She was with him. She was fine. He would think about anything else. "So," he said, "They orchestrated this whole thing?"

Mason shook his head. "Only in a sense that they asked me to make sure it happened," he sighed, "But you and Bonnie…you're supposed to be together. If I had told you that you probably would have called me crazy and did everything you could to stay away from her and the bond might not have happened before Bonnie died because she was alone in all of this."

Tyler stiffened. "Bond?" That sounded it right. He was bound to her in some kind of way, but that was the wrong word wasn't it? _Mate_ , his mind supplied, _she was his mate._

"In order for you to understand it," Mason said, "You have to understand what you are. What we are and the curse that is upon this family."

"Bonnie's been blaming herself for this," he said, "She tings she still some kind of spell on accident because she was lonely and wanted to tie herself to something. She recognized the rings and symbols but she couldn't place them. It isn't just about her being a witch though right? It's about whatever we are. Last night after we…I could feel her power. I didn't know what it was at the time but she blacked out after I bit and t hen I felt my body change. Like something was ripping me apart from the inside and then everything went black. When I opened my eyes she was there and I wanted to ask questions but I couldn't focus on anything else but and we…a few more times and then this morning…I couldn't finally connect the dots that something was different."

Mason had been listening intently. When Tyler stopped talking he nodded as if he understood. "Witches draw their powers from nature," he said, "What we are…is of nature. We're werewolves Tyler."

Tyler opened his mouth to object but it snapped shut. The biting. The marking. The need to claim. The thought of Bonnie as his mate. The anger. He had called Bonnie, "beautiful moon" in Latin for fuck's sake. "Keep going," Tyler said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I want to know everything."

Tyler stiffened as Mason sat down next to him but listened as his uncle spoke of their family history. Listened as he told him all that being a wolf entailed. Enhanced senses. The need to mate. Speed. Agility. Anger. Transformation on the full moon. Tyler wasn't prepared to hear anyone it, but he had promised Bonnie that he would find out the truth so he stayed and listened.

"You are a special case," Mason said, "You're an alpha, descended from the first of our kind. It's in your blood. You are destined to be the strongest wolf in this line and your bond with Bonnie is the reason. There are things that tie wolves and witches together. Things that are in our nature. When we first came into existence it was to act as a witches familiar. To aid them in their power and act as a companion, but the wolf…for the wolf it wasn't enough. It required a deeper bond. It's in a wolf's nature to mate and it's in a witch's nature to take a familiar and when those things came together new kinds of bond were formed. However, since magic is about balance…there are different kind of bonds…not every bond is right for every pair. Some pairs aren't compatible in enough ways to form certain kinds of bonds so the magic and the wolf with only tie them in ways in which they are compatible."

Tyler watched as Mason pulled up his sleeve to reveal a mark on the inside of his wrist. It wasn't like his mark or Bonne's. I looked like a cross made up of curved lines that was encircled in the middle.

"It's a witch's knot," Mason supplied, as if Tyler would know what that meant, "It appeared after my first time with a witch named Lucy. The two of us share a bond of the body. It's open and allows us to seek companion ship in others. She has another bond mate but its a bond of the mind. The three of us make it work, but not all of the bonds allow for ties to other people. Some bonds are different. Not like ours. They form between those who find the perfect match in each other, they become tied in almost every way possible and it doesn't leave room for anything else or anyone else."

"So you got bonded to her by force," Tyler frowned, "Just like us and you still didn't say anything?!"

"It isn't forced," he said, "Its natural and it's a gift. It's something that can only happen if the desire is there from both sides. Even if it's just subconscious. Its seems like it's something crazy and unmanageable now but the more time you spend together, the more it'll settle in. The more sense it will make and you'll understand that it was always there underneath the surface and all you did last night was let it out. The bond is a beautiful thing, something that the parts of you that aren't human created, but still natural for what you are underneath it all."

Tyler was silent. A part of him believed what Mason was saying. That they had just been speeding up the inevitable. He still felt that if they had known, if they had been given some kind of choice or warning, it never would have happened.

"Your mark," Mason said, "The one on your chest. Can I see it? I just need to verify something."

Tyler sighed and unbuttoned his shirt. He pulled it open enough for his uncle to see the mark on his chest. "You said some of the bonds don't leave from for anything else," Tyler said, watching Mason's reaction carefully. Again Mason's expression was one of shock and awe, just as it had been when he had seen the ring. Tyler quickly buttoned his shirt back up.

"I…" Mason blinked several times. "There are bonds that form enough ties that allow those that are bound to have every need that they have satisfied by one another and so they don't seek outside relationships. Sometimes they can't, there's physical and mental pain involved at hurting and betraying their bond mate in that way."

Mason ran a shaking hand through his hair as he spoke. He seemed unsettled. That made Tyler even more afraid of what it was that he had Bonnie had unknowingly gotten themselves into.

"There is one bond in particular," Mason continued, "that is the most rare that happens between those who are compatible in _every_ way possible. It then binds them in every way possible. A bond that is meant to be eternal. Mind. Body. Power. Soul. Spirit. Blood. Everything in them is made to complement each other and during the bonding those things are woven together in a way that sort of marries those pieces to each other, tying them together so intricately that their connection runs so deep that it's almost impossible to break. If the bond were to ever be broken it would be extremely difficult, painful and traumatic and likely cause insanity or death or both. It's the most pure thing that can exist between two supernatural beings. That bond is called the _Ad Infinitum_."

"To infinity?" Tyler blinked and then scowled. "I don't understand," he said. But he did. He understood all too well what Mason was trying to say.

"You understand Latin because Bonnie understands Latin Tyler," Mason said, "Your minds are melded now. You can share knowledge, thoughts, and emotions. You can feel her power because it's your power too, you build and enhance each other. Your blood is her blood. So your family is her family and vice versa. Your body is her body, all your sense will always be in tune with hers. Touch. Taste. Sight. Sound. Smell. Have you noticed things about her? The sound of her voice? The way she smells? Each time her pulse quickens when you get close to her…?"

" _Stop it_ ," Tyler said, standing. He ran a hand over his face. He was describing everything he had been feeling over the past twenty four hours and Tyler felt sick. "Infinity…the bond it's never ending right?" At Mason's nod Tyler tugged at his hair. "I can't believe this shit," Tyler spat after a moment, "I can't believe you didn't warn us about something this fucking _big_."

"I thought it would be a more open bond," Mason sighed, "All I knew is that your wolf chose her and her magic responded to it. I didn't know it would be this. I told you it was rare. But is also one of the most coveted bonds in the supernatural community. Do you realize you two are the stuff of legends? The last time one of these bonds happened was over four centuries ago, Tyler!"

"I don't care!" Tyler shouted reaching the end of his patience. He couldn't stay calm, not without Bonnie. "Who gives a fuck about the supernatural community? This is my life and Bonnie's life you fucked with! Even if it was any kind of bond I would pissed but you _knew_ this one was a possibility no matter how small and you didn't say anything. How can you _not_ get how fucked up that is?" Tyler ranted, his voice raising. He closed his eyes and tried to calm down. He couldn't handle this, not alone. He had to get back to Bonnie so they could figure out what to do next. "I'm going to pack a few things and disappear for a couple of days. Hopefully I can stay with Bonnie and we can figure this out but if not I'll be at Matt's. I can't stay here. Don't contact me."

He couldn't stay in this house. Not with the ghost of his father haunting the walls. Not with having to keep the fact that he was a fucking werewolf that had managed to get himself bound for life to a witch from his mother. Not with an uncle who was a stranger and had saw fit to keep secrets for whatever reasons and play games with his life and the life of someone who Tyler had once considered a friend of sorts and who was not the very reason for his existence. "Tyler," Mason said, as he started to walk away, "We need to talk about all of this. There are things going on that you don't understand. Besides that Carol isn't going to let you-"

"Now you want to talk and worry about my mother?" Tyler laughed, "Screw you. I need to get back to Bonnie. _You_ are going to cover for me. I don't want to deal with his shit right now. It's bad enough I have to go and tell Bonnie that she's stuck with me for the better part of eternity which will lead to inevitable rejection, even without this werewolf bullshit. I wouldn't be surprised if she preferred death at this point. We will talk when I'm ready and when she's ready. Not before."

Mason felt his own anger rise and Tyler watched as his eyes yellowed. They didn't have time to coddle them. He could give them time but he had to find the moon stone at least. "I need you to listen to me," Mason demanded, "I'll make you if I have to."

Tyler stood his ground. "Try it." Mason took a step back as he suddenly felt power permeating from his nephew and Tyler's eyes began to glow brighter than he had ever seen in any wolf before. Mason held up his hands in submission. It was a bad sign. He was older and should have been stronger but with the bond and Tyler's alpha blood there was really nothing that Mason could do to stop him.

He had hoped the bond would be one like his own. That Tyler would come to him for help and he could convince him to help Katherine and Lucy in turn but things had gone pear-shaped. He was too tied to Bonnie. His loyalty lied where Bonnie's did, but there was still a chance. Still a chance

"That's what I thought," Tyler said.

After Tyler left the room without looking back, Mason pulled out his phone and called Lucy. When she answered, before she could speak, Mason spoke first. "Babe you're not going to believe this shit…it's an Ad Infinitum."

 **:::**

Bonnie ignored another call from Elena as she sat on the couch in her living room and flipped through a book on symbols in pagan witchcraft. She was supposed to be helping Elena set up for the carnival being held at school. They were taking the reigns since Caroline was still in the hospital. Damon's blood had worked in healing her but the doctor's had kept her under observation just in case her miraculous recovery had been a fluke and she wasn't being released until later that night when the carnival was scheduled to take place.

Bonnie didn't feel bad for breaking her commitment. She had more pressing things to worry about and more than that Tyler had asked her not to leave the house. He would feel better knowing she was safe and so Bonnie felt compelled to stay exactly where she was.

Frowning Bonnie put the book down. She had showered and dressed but she couldn't get rid of the marks on her skin no matter what spell she tried and then she had felt guilty for trying and she had gone to researching instead.

She looked down at her cell phone. Three missed calls from Elena. Two from Caroline. One from Matt. None from Tyler.

Sighing Bonnie moved on to the next book. She froze as she opened the pages. She felt something tickle the edge of her mind. "What the hell?" she muttered as she felt as if her head were being infiltrated.

" _Bonnie_?"

Bonnie's head whipped around but she didn't see anything or anyone. But that voice. She knew that voice. It made the hairs on her body stand on end. "Tyler?"

" _Yeah_ ," he said, his voice an odd echo in her mind, " _Mason said our minds were linked. I wanted to try something. Guess it worked. Don't freak out I'll be there as soon as I can. Look up_ Ad Infinitum _._ "

A moment later the feeling was gone and Bonnie felt calm knowing Tyler was coming and uneasy all at once. She had been second guessing whether or not he would come back and she was sure he knew that, that that was the reason he had been able to contact her. To reassure her. He had sounded so calm just then.

To give her guidance, direct her actions so that she would be occupied until he got back. He was projecting dominance. _The sign of a true alpha_ , her mind supplied. "What the hell just happened?"

Bonnie looked at the books piled in front of her and sighed. There was something telling her that there was an easier way that this could be done. It wasn't as if most of these things had a glossary or an index, however.

Still a voince in her head that sounded suspiciously like Tyler seemed to say, "You have the power to get this done quickly so use it." She thought about the bursts of magic from that morning that she had used to repair the damage to her room. She hadn't known how she had done. It had just been a thought, pure panicked emotion, frantic movements and will power.

Still she would try, maybe this time using thought and will power only. Bonnie held out her hands over the books and concentrated on her powers and her search. "Show me _Ad Infinitum_ ," she whispered.

She was surprised to find that one of the books came floating up from the stack and into her lap. She watched as the book opened and the pages began to flip until they stopped and Bonnie looked down to see the words _Ad Infinitum_ written in bold at the top.

Her powers had been enhanced somehow or at least changed. She didn't know what she was going to have to do now to learn to better control it.

Wondering why anything was able to shock her anymore Bonnie read the definition on the page aloud. "The most powerful and intricate bond that a witch can have with another being of supernatural nature," she read, "While the bond is meant to be strong by nature as it is a bond between the entire essence of two beings; mind, body, blood, soul, and spirit, it is stronger when between a witch and some creatures than others. The bond is the most diluted between witch and vampire. Because their natures are opposing the bond of that nature which requires ultimate compatibility is nearly impossible. The bond is second strongest between witches and warlocks or any other combination of the two. However, if one practices an opposing form of magic that compatibility can be compromised as well. The bond is actually the strongest between a witch and a werewolf. The witch draws her powers from nature and the werewolf is of nature. It is in the nature of the witch to take on a familiar spirit, which was the first purpose that the cursed ever served. It is in the nature of the werewolf to mate for life and the bond is eternal…"

Bonnie stopped reading as the gravity of the situation finally hit her. Suddenly a conversation between Tyler and Mason that Bonnie hadn't been there to witness played out in her mind. The conversation that Tyler had had with him about his heritage and about the bond.

"This is crazy," Bonnie frowned. She continued to read as she needed to focus on something else besides all of the weird ways in which this bond was affecting her.

As she read that the bond was a natural occurrence between compatible souls or soul mates, she felt her guilt lessen. So it wasn't her fault, but they would still have to deal with the consequences.

The breaking of the bond was difficult and painful and traumatic. It could lead to insanity and death and Bonnie didn't want that for her or Tyler so it wasn't an option. Though, for all she knew Tyler was willing to risk it.

Bonnie looked at the sketch of the symbol that was still on the front on her shoulder. The eternal knot or the endless knot. It was an outward presentation of their bond and all of the ways in which they were tied together. The bite had been for the sake of the wolf and the knot had appeared for the sake of the witch.

The knot represented the union and harmony of two dual and sometimes opposing forces. The colors had meaning as well. Tyler's was green because he represented Bonnie. Green was the color of nature. It represented harmony and balance. Growth, freshness and fertility. Green was associated with emotional safety, healing and protection.

Bonnie's was red because of the nature of Tyler's wolf. She still couldn't believe it. A werewolf. She was bound to a werewolf for the rest of her life. But it wasn't just some werewolf. It was Tyler. Tyler who was Matt's friend and a varsity athlete in three different sports. Tyler who was kind of an asshole but who made her laugh and at the end of the day was one of the few people who understood her losses. He was the only person who had ever called her beautiful. He was the only person who she could really talk to. The only person who didn't seem to let the fact that she was a witch change his perception of who she was. He was just as willing to be there for her as he had been the night before and years ago when they were kids.

Bonnie looked back down at the book, forcing her thoughts back to the task at hand. Red was the color of blood. The color of a predator. It was associated with energy, anger, war, danger, strength, power, and determination. But also passion, fire, desire, sexuality and love. Red was an emotionally intense color. The color rage but also courage. The color of leadership but also longing.

Red was the color of wrath and green the color of peace. Bonnie thought about what Tyler had said to her before the mating had occurred. He said he was angry all the time but around her he was calm.

While Bonnie put up a good front she had lost her will to be angry anymore and she was losing her will to fight. She was losing her will to feel anything and was beginning to go along with Elena and the Salvatore all over again. Her wrath after the death of her grams had been short lived and all she was able to feel was a muted sense of guilt fear.

However, with Tyler she felt safe, protected. More than that he ignited a passion inside of her that she hadn't been aware that she was capable of. She had never wanted anyone life she wanted him. Even now, she was mentally counting the seconds until he got back and she see him…touch him…kiss him… But would she be able to. This thing was bigger now. Bigger than an intended one night stand. Bigger than Bonnie's attempt to feel something. Bigger than the need to be there for someone who had suffered as much loss as her. Now that Tyler was blinded by a heritage that he didn't know he had they had even more in common.

Wanting to know more, Bonnie skipped over the other possible colors listed until she got to the last color that was actually a part of their marks. The black that outlined the interlaced lines.

Black was representative of their union. Black represented both their power and the unknown depth of it to the outside world. Black stood for power, strength, elegance, and authority. Black was a barrier between them and the outside world, covering the secret of the power, their heritage, and their ties to each other. The wolf kept the secrets of his pack with the same intensity that the witch shielded the secrets of her coven. Black was the color of intimidation, danger, self-control and disciplined. It implied that they would lead and destroy anything that opposed their path.

"Lead what?" Bonnie asked. There weren't any other witches in Mystic Falls. No other wolves but Mason. They were outnumbered by vampires, but did this mean that they wouldn't be for long?"

Looking for more information Bonnie flipped the page and noted with confusion that even the metal making up their rings had meaning.

Copper, ruled by the goddess Venus. The goddess of love, beauty, art, balance, harmony and peace. It transferred warmth and electricity. The metal copper had great connecting power and was used in spells and rituals to promote love, sensuality, friendship, positive relationships of any kind, and peace.

Silver, ruled by the moon, called Luna by alchemists. The symbolism of the moon represented reflection, receptivity, and reaction. "The moon acts as a mirror reflecting the light from the sun," Bonnie read aloud. Tyler had called her "luna", hadn't he?

Silently Bonnie kept reading. The metal silver was used in rituals to reflect and neutralize negativity, and balance emotional imbalances. "Like excessive feelings of anger," Bonnie murmured, thinking of Tyler's mention of rage to Mason in the conversation that she had somehow manage to unintentionally pick up on by whatever means.

Bonnie moved on to the next metal before her mind gave her a chance to dwell on the discoveries.

Gold, was ruled by the sun, and represented wisdom, comfort and longevity. Gold amulets were used by witches as cures for depression. They were also used for comforting and strengthening the heart, protection and healing. Gold was used in rituals concerning the sun deities, self-confidence, fortune, hope, and the building of worldly and magical power. Gold was worn to improve inner strength.

Copper was the bond. Silver, the moon, was Bonnie. Gold, the sun, was Tyler.

She looked back up the page to the description of the bond between witch and wolf and found the confirmation of their thoughts. "Mother nature thrives due to the light of the sun," Bonnie read, "The moon has always been the catalyst for the wolf's transformation. In this way there could never be a more perfect pair."

Bonnie closed the book. She wasn't sure what to do with any of the information she had just read and so she stared into space until her phone rang again.

When she saw that it was Elena again, she ignored the call. Bonnie tried to piece together the thoughts in her head. Being with Tyler wasn't the problem. Even though they had barely starting speaking again, she liked being with. Even before the bond she had liked the way he made her feel, but had that just been a precursor, what had happened in his father's den at the memorial? It was all so messed up. The only thing she knew was that she had liked being around him when she was younger before they had started running in different directions and that she had always found him attractive, but she couldn't build an eternity on that.

Even if they found out that they could if they spent more time together and discovered that they were in fact perfect for each other, why couldn't that happen before the bond? Why couldn't they have just at least dated first and made the decision as to whether or not to make a lifelong commitment like normal people. "Because we're not normal," Bonnie sighed, answering her own question.

Still, the lack of being able to choose bothered her and she was sure if they had an actual choice, that Tyler wouldn't willingly choose her. There were a million other girls he could be with and probably more that he would rather be with, let alone be tied to for the rest of their existence and if the book was right, in death as well.

Bonnie bit her bottom lip, worrying it with her teeth. She didn't know what to do next. She had found what they had needed to know for the most part, but Tyler still hadn't returned. She decided to look up information on just werewolves instead.

She was halfway through the werewolf section of one of the grandmother's old text books when she felt Tyler's presence before the knock on the front door even came.

Bonnie tossed the book back onto the stack on the table as she stood. She smoothed her hands down her front, surveying her outfit. She had changed five times that morning before settling on a maroon draped skirt that Caroline had gotten her for her last birthday and long sleeved black lace top. It seemed a bit much to be sitting around the house in but her mind kept telling her that Tyler would be seeing her and so she needed to look her best.

Sighing and feeling foolish Bonnie left the living room and went to answer the front door. She took a deep breath as she gripped the door knob. She didn't know what to expect. She could feel what he was feeling and although there was anger there, it wasn't directed at her and so she felt that was at least plus.

Deciding to bite the bullet, Bonnie opened the door. Tyler was standing on the other side with a duffle bag in one hand. Bonnie stood in the doorway her hands clasped together self-consciously as he stared at her. "Hey," Bonnie said, into the silence.

"Hey," Tyler smiled, but he still looked uncertain, "Sorry it took so long. I…had to pack some things. I don't think I can stay at home for a while. I called Matt but he's still at the hospital with Caroline-"

"Stay here," Bonnie interrupted. She didn't see the point of them being away from one another. They would have to deal with the fallout of the bond and prolonged separations, even for a few hours seemed to take a heavy toll on them both.

"You sure?" Tyler asked. He was tense and Bonnie was sure that he had been on the verge of a break down ever since he had left her house that morning.

"I want you here," Bonnie said, feeling more confident than she had before he had arrived, "With me." When the tension left his body, Bonnie stepped to the side and gestured for him to come inside.

Tyler walked inside, dropping his bag on the floor. Bonnie closed the door and as soon as she turned around she found herself backed into it. "You look beautiful," Tyler said as he wrapped his arms around.

"Thank you," Bonnie whispered. She smiled at the thought that she had pleased him and then tried not to dwell too much on the odd feeling of accomplishment. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned back against the door so that she could look at him. "I missed you," she said, honestly.

"I missed you too." Tyler leaned forward until his forehead was resting against her. "Thank you for trusting me enough to stay here."

"You're upset," Bonnie said. He was holding himself together on the outside but she could feel his turmoil. She ran her hands down his chest, trying to project calmness. She watched as his eyes closed and then opened again, glowing yellow. "Just breathe," she murmured.

"I've been going out of my mind all day," he said, "I probably would've killed Mason if I hadn't been so focused on getting back to you."

"Don't think about it," she responded, "Just breathe and focus on me." She felt her own uncertainty and fear of rejection disappear, giving way to the need to take of him. Wrapping her arms around his neck again, she pulled him closer, into her body.

Tyler responded by holding her tighter. "I know we need to talk," he said, "But let just stay like this for a while. Just…don't let go."

Bonnie rested her head on his shoulder as he buried his face in her neck. He wasn't just talking about letting go in that moment, she knew. "I won't," she answered and she meant it.


	3. Part Three: Carnival

**Title:** Under Our Skin

 **Rating:** M

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural/Romance

 **Pairing(s):** Bonnie/Tyler, Mason/Katherine, Mason/Lucy, Katherine/Lucy, Lucy/Mason/Katherine, Caroline/Matt, etc.

 **Summary:** A one night stand brought on my grief and comfort reveals the secret of Bonnie's heritage to Tyler and the Lockwood curse to them both when Tyler's wolf is triggered by something unexpected resulting in a magical bond that has permanent consequences if it remains unbroken. AU from 2x01.

 **Warnings:** Language, Sexual Content, Violence, Dub-Con, etc.

 _ **Author's Note: Reminder there is no vamp Caroline in this fic. Also a rant really quickly and please skip if this doesn't apply to you: Please do not message me asking for updates. That goes for here or at Tumblr. Messaging me for updates does not help. Its honestly kind of irritating and puts unwanted pressure on me to finish things and makes me not want to write these stories. If you want to show a particular fic love you are more than welcome to do so. Feedback I love. But please don't ask me for updates and don't comment asking for another fic to be updated on a fic that has nothing to do with the fic you are requesting to be updated and please don't comment on my fics with fanfic request. Reviews are meant to give the authors some feedback and can do wonders with helping momentum and giving support. Those of you who review THANK YOU! But if you are not commenting to support or give feedback please keep the commentary to yourself. I do take request but keep and those can be messaged her or on tumblr if you have an idea you want me to execute but there's no place for them in fic reviews. Seriously guys I am trying to get stuff done when I can. Support I appreciate but there's a difference between support and pestering. I work full time and am in Grad school these fics are not my priority and some of them I never intended on updating but shared because people wanted to see them back up. So please be patient and leave it at that. There are over 30 stories on here and majority of them are in progress, this isn't all I do all day so updates will take time. Rant over. No editing here. Anyway enjoy the update.**_

 **Part Three || Carnival**

" _Why should I be ashamed to describe what nature was not ashamed to create?"_

— **Pietro Aretino**

Eventually they separated and were forced to face the reality of the situation. They sat on the couch, side by side, and Bonnie explained to him what she had found. Her body was stiff and her voice was subdued, both of which Tyler didn't fail to notice.

Everything that she was saying made sense in relation to what Mason had told him but he was still confused. Logically he understood what was being said but there was no logic in any of this. Just a day ago he had been happily oblivious to all things supernatural and paranormal and now he had become immersed in it all overnight. He didn't know what it all meant because he wasn't familiar with it.

The mythology was interesting but he still hadn't even processed fully what Mason had told him. He still hadn't fully accepted what he was and what that would mean for him. It was another thing altogether to accept the bond and what that would mean for both of them. The full extent of it all, just on paper, was insane. He didn't know how to handle it or the first thing to do to make it alright for either of them.

Bonnie caught the thought as soon as it occurred and frowned. "I know that this is overwhelming," she sighed, "I get that. I do. I remember when I found out what I was and before I could even wrap my head around it Elena and Stefan started coming to me for help, when I didn't even know what I was doing. So I got my grams involved and then after she died I still didn't know what the hell I was doing and I had lost the only person who cared enough to help me figure it out. So…I get it. I'm not going to let you go through this alone, Tyler. I know that probably doesn't mean anything because we kind of don't have a choice but to be around each other now but …even if I did have a choice I wouldn't leave you alone in this because I know what that feels like."

Tyler reached out and took her hand in his, threading their fingers together. "It does mean something," he whispered, "I don't think I could be this calm about this even now if I was going through this with anyone else. I know I'm not anyone's first pick to spend an eternity with. I don't have the best track record when it comes to relationships."

Tyler scowled as he thought about Vicki. "I…," he hesitated as he looked down at their joined hands.

He didn't like being vulnerable, but if he could be that with anyone at this point it was Bonnie. Even if she judged him, which he doubted that she would, she couldn't leave him.

He felt like an asshole for even thinking it but he couldn't help the part of him that was satisfied to have something good in his life and have it be permanent. He had never been good enough for his parents and he didn't know how to be there for people because he was used to high expectations and emotional distance.

Now his father was dead and after learning about Vicki's actual fate after how he had treated her, he didn't feel comfortable going to Matt. Besides he couldn't go to Matt even if he wanted to, not about any of this.

The wolf was his curse to carry and Bonnie was his to protect. There was no room for outsiders in any of that.

Tyler turned to find Bonnie looking at him expectantly. Waiting patiently for him to say whatever it was that he needed to say.

"I don't know how to treat the people I care about without fucking everything up," he said finally, "You and I are connected now in ways that normal people could never imagine and I don't really know what to do with that. My parents didn't exactly have a model marriage and we never really talked about anything except for what was expected of me and the things I wasn't living up to. I didn't even know about this huge thing that's cursed my family for years. I haven't been a good friend to Matt. Not as good as I should've been. Vicki cared about me and I treated her like crap when we were together because I knew that my parents wouldn't think she was good enough and I didn't care about how anyone else felt but me. I don't want to make the same mistakes with you. This is bigger than anything that's ever happened to me and if I mess this up there isn't going back from any of it."

Tyler waited for Bonnie to pull away from him but it never happened. Instead she said, "You won't. I'm not worried about that. The fact that you realized the mistakes you made and don't want to repeat them means that you're not as bad of person as you think you are."

She turned to him completely, leaning her head on his shoulder before she continued. "I mean your father just passed away and you just learned that you're a werewolf and you can still manage not to lash out long enough to worry about me. Part of that is probably this bond or whatever but part of that is you."

She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You kept me grounded this morning. You went to confront Mason by yourself because you wanted to protect me. Last night you reminded me of what it was like to feel something other than grief and anger. It's been a day and you make me feel more wanted and safer than I've felt since I could remember my whole life. I wouldn't want to be going through this with anyone else either. Besides…this happened for a reason. I don't know what it is yet, but if nothing else we have each other now right? Neither one of us has to go through this alone."

Tyler nodded and Bonnie smiled. He knew she didn't like being vulnerable any more than he did, but she wanted to reassure him. She was the first person that he had met that put his needs before her own. It wasn't hard for him to want to return the favor.

His whole life he had been made to live up to who everyone wanted him to be and he had built up a cocky façade around himself in order to protect himself. No one really knew the pressure that he felt or where all of the ugliness and anger inside of him came from. He hadn't ever wanted anyone to know.

However, Bonnie made him feel different. She seemed to balance things out. She had made up for so much that he had lacked in such a short time. He wanted to do that for her. He wanted to give back as good as he got. Maybe that was what the bond was really about, not so much what was on paper but what they were building together slowly, minute by minute, and hour by hour. He wondered, if they were getting this close this fast now, how close they would be in a week, a month, a year or ten years from now. It was weird to even think about. He had never imagined having anyone in his life forever. It didn't seem likely, but here it was, staring him right in the face.

"And anyway," she said interrupting his thoughts, "You're not exactly winning the lottery with me. In case you've forgotten my parents are divorced and I don't know my mom so I don't really have any examples as far as a loving marriage goes either. Before last night I had little to no experience with guys as the first time I put myself out there it ended in me getting kidnapped. While I'm good a pretending most of the time I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm only a good friend because I am afraid to lose everyone and I don't know if that makes me selfish or insecure. Probably both. I'm not used to talking about my feelings. My dad isn't ever home and even when he is we don't talk. The only person I talked to was my grams and after she died I started to hold everything in, which is how I ended up dealing with the Gilbert device in the way I did in the first place. I make mistakes too. I'm not exactly a catch."

Tyler laughed, shaking his head. "I don't know how you could say that," Tyler whispered, resting his chin on the top of her head, "You're kind. You're smart. You're beautiful. You see the good in people. You've been braving all of this alone. I can't even imagine how strong you would have to be to do all of that after everything you've lost. Yesterday at the wake you were able to reach me when no one else could. You listened to me when you didn't have to. I want to be there for you like that."

Tyler gently pulled Bonnie into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. She came with no resistance her own arms coming to wrap around his middle.

"I want to be someone that you can come to," he continued, "I want to be someone that you would want to be with. A part of me wanted that before the bond happened. Being with you isn't the problem in all of this. It's the only good thing. It's the bond that scares me and what it means. It's what I am that scares me. It's what you are and what could happen to you, to both of us if I can't protect you. It's the lack of choice in this that bothers me, but I don't doubt what I feel for you. The bond that we shared tied us together in ways that I'm not ready to think about yet, but I don't think it created these feelings between us. It just magnified what was already there with us and with the parts of us that aren't exactly human."

Tyler didn't have time to regret the admission because he could feel the way that she reacted to it. He felt the warmth radiating from her and directed at him. She was glowing again, her skin shimmering and ethereal. She smiled and he was a bit dazed. He was beginning to understand what the glow meant, now that he could feel all of the positive emotions it was associated with even more.

"You're smarter than you let people think you are you know," Bonnie replied. She lifted her head and looked up at him. "I feel those things too," she said, "About the bond. About what we are and what all of this means. About you. We both have dealt with all of these secrets and loss and isolation. Maybe we should just start with promising to not keep things from each other, to trust each other and be there for each other. We probably won't get through this if we don't. It doesn't have to be anything more than that for now."

"What if I want it to be more than that," Tyler said, seriously, "What if I want to be with you? Its where this thing is headed. I don't see the point in delaying the inevitable. I know this is fast and I admit that I'd rather be able to ask you out on a date like a normal person but we're not normal and that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It can be whatever we make it. I don't want to just be your friend that helps you through this. I want to be able to kiss you and touch you whenever I want to. We don't need to tell anyone about the bond. It would be better if we didn't and no one would ever fully understand, anyway. We don't even fully understand yet so I want that to stay between us. But I want to be able to tell people that we're together."

Bonnie bit her lip and looked unsure of whether or not she wanted to believe him. "Are you sure?" She said, voicing the thoughts that he could both see and feel.

"Yeah," he answered, "more than sure. It's what I want. Is it what you want?"

A part of Tyler expected rejection. Even with the bond. He could feel her hesitance. Her doubt. Her uncertainty. Her fear. However, he could also feel the hesitant happiness thrumming beneath the surface. The longing. The desire. The anticipation. All of that gave him hope.

After what seemed like an eternity to Tyler, Bonnie nodded. "It's what I want too," she said out loud finally.

Tyler leaned down to kiss her and then stopped as a thought occurred to him. He thought about all of the times Vicki had begged him to go on dates, and all the times that he had been ashamed to be seen with her in public because he was afraid of what his parents and everyone else would think. He didn't want to go down that road again. He didn't want that regret.

With Bonnie it was different and so he had to be different. He wasn't ashamed of the bond that had formed between them as much as it scared the shit out him. She was his and he was hers and every part of them was intertwined. It was in their nature to be together. Not just because of the fact that all the information they could find on it said so. He could feel it.

A part that he suspected was his wolf had been telling him of the fact since the bond had happened. There was no use in trying to suppress it. It was a part of who he was now. It could help him protect Bonnie and his mother from the dangers that he had only just learned were out there. Not only that but it was what had brought him and Bonnie together in the first place. He couldn't hate the wolf. He was the wolf. The sun. The alpha. Bonnie was magic. The moon. His mate.

"Tyler?" She looked worried and he knew part of her concern was regarding whether or not he was backing out of his previous declaration.

"I'm fine," he said, quickly, "I was just thinking that since we're together now. Dating. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Supernaturally married. Whatever you want to call it…."

Bonnie rolled her eyes but her lips twitched upward in amusement. "Get to the point, Lockwood," she said gesturing with her free hand, the other arm still wrapped around him and clutching his side.

Tyler gave her a mock glare before he continued. "I just thought that maybe we could go on a date," he said, "I mean…the carnival is tonight…so if you wanted to go…"

"You mean the carnival that I was supposed to help Elena set up, but ditched out on in order to go through old grimoires and creepy occult text books?" Bonnie grinned. "I am pretty sure that if we run into Elena it won't exactly be fun. Besides that I wasn't there and twenty minutes ago when Caroline got out of the hospital today either. They're both probably going to be pissed since I was also avoiding their calls. Not only that but we both skipped school today so is that _really_ a good idea?"

"You had your reasons for ditching school and your friends today," Tyler sighed, "You don't have to feel bad for ignoring them to deal with what happened last night and this morning. It's kind of a big deal for both of us. You don't have to feel bad for taking time to yourself to deal with your problems or just to take time to yourself or to hang out with hot guys at carnivals."

Bonnie knew it was the truth but she didn't trust her friends to see it that way. Still she loved hearing the words. "You're not that hot," Bonnie joked with a laugh.

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said I was beautiful," he grinned.

When Bonnie blushed and looked away at the reminder of the memory Tyler took pity on her. "Look, gorgeous," he said, "I know that we have to figure out all of this stuff with bond and what it means for us. I have to figure out this whole werewolf thing and deal with Mason and get the Salvatore brothers uninvited from my house somehow. But we've dealt with enough today I think and I for one don't want to spend the rest of the night looking through books and worrying about things we can't decipher or change. We can do that when everything has sunk in and we're more prepared to deal with what happens next. Until then what's the harm in spending time together and having a little fun. You do remember what fun is don't you?"

Shaking her head Bonnie laughed. She leaned in, separating the distance between them to place a soft kiss on his lips. "Okay," she agreed, as she pulled back, "You're right. I'm done feeling guilty and after today and yesterday we deserve some fun. Let's go."

 **:::**

Bonnie watched as Tyler took the hammer and walked up to the High Striker game at the school carnival. It probably wasn't the best place for a first date if they were trying to lay low, but it was a small town and everyone would likely see them together sooner rather than later anyway. She knew that soon her friends would likely run into them but at the moment she just wanted to enjoy being with Tyler.

She still couldn't really wrap her mind around everything, but at the very least the one good thing that had come out of the bond, was that she and Tyler were happy. For the time being. Bonnie wasn't sure how long it would last, but she would ride out the feeling. It was still strange to think that he wanted her, not just because of the bond. That he saw the bond as an opportunity to act on feelings he had had before to some extent and for them not to go through dealing with everything that was weighing down on them alone.

Bonnie smiled as Tyler brought the hammer down and wasn't surprised as the chaser shot up to the top causing the bell to ring loudly. Bonnie clapped along with the crowd and laughed as Tyler gave her a wink as he went over to pick out a prize. It felt good to smile and laugh and have fun. For a moment she was able to forget about everything else and live in the moment.

Bonnie's phone vibrated and she was brought out of her temporary high. Sighing she pulled it out of her purse. Looking down at her phone she sighed when she saw that it was a text from Elena. She knew that Elena might have been worried as she hadn't been at school but she also knew Elena was likely going to complain about or obsess over one of the Salvatore brothers once Bonnie told her that she was alright.

She and Tyler had agreed not to tell anyone about the bond or his heritage. It was for the best. They had the right to keep the secret. It was even in their natures to keep their private lives from the outside world. The witch keeps the secrets of her coven the books had said. The wolf held the secrets of his pack. The alpha guarded and protected his mate.

It was fine if everyone thought they were together, because they were in every way, even if the circumstances were unusual. It was better for Tyler as well, for everyone to know she was taken. To has his claim acknowledged and flaunted. The wolf deemed it necessary not just for the bond but to discourage any competition for Bonnie's affections, though Bonnie assured Tyler there was none, he had claimed more men were interested than she believed.

So Bonnie didn't mind having the romantic aspects of their relationship be public. She felt good about being wanted and someone being proud to show her off. But there most intimate secrets would remain between them. Bonnie liked the thought of keeping the others in the dark. When Elena and the Salvatore got involved things got messy and never ended well. Besides that she was for once the one with the power and able to put herself and the person she wanted to be with over everyone and everything else.

However, Bonnie knew that the Salvatore, especially Damon, wouldn't stop until he found out exactly what secret the Lockwoods were keeping and so she thought it best to stay clear of Elena for now, as if there was Elena one or both of the Salvatore brothers would be close behind. It wasn't just Tyler's job to protect her and her interest, she was to protect him and his as well. If that meant going head to head with Damon or Stefan or both and withdrawing from Elena then so be it. She wouldn't lose anyone else by acquiescing to them and ignoring the threat that they posed to her and the people she cared about.

"For you, _mea luna_." Bonnie looked up at the sound of Tyler's voice and her smile returned as she saw that he was holding a stuffed plush wolf.

She smiled at the nickname as well. The sun and the moon. Polar opposites but still residing in the same sky. She rubbed the magical mark that was covered up by her blouse without thinking. A part of her still felt like she had somehow trapped him, but there was no going back from it. Even if she didn't understand exactly what was happening to them, she wasn't sure that she wanted to go back either.

Tyler reached out and grasped the hand that she had placed over her mark and brought it up to lips and kissed the back of it. Cleary he was trying to keep her out of her own head and she was grateful for it. "We'll figure it out," Tyler whispered, "Just not tonight." He held out the stuffed wolf again.

"Thank you," she said. After putting her phone away she took the wolf from his hands and hugged it to her chest. "You were pretty impressive by the way," Bonnie grinned, "Very strong and manly."

Bonnie was sure that she sounded silly. This was different than anything she had experienced before. This wasn't just flirting. He wasn't using her like Ben had been.

It wasn't just because of the bond, having someone wanting to be with her without any ulterior motives was something new. Just like having someone return her feelings and having a boyfriend. Because that was basically what he was, though it was a lot more than that with the bond involved, that was what Bonnie wanted to call it at the moment. It was all that she could handle.

Bonnie felt less embarrassed as Tyler grinned. She remembered when she had been researching werewolves before looking into the bond. The books had said that wolves liked to display for their mates. Prove themselves. Show that they could protect and take care of them better than anyone else. The displaying happened both consciously and subconsciously.

Bonnie blushed slightly at the thought of the word mate, though she wasn't really sure why. She could feel the pride and pleasure at her praise coming off Tyler in waves and she smiled wider as he puffed up his chest slightly.

"You liked that, huh?" Tyler asked, his own smile blinding. As she nodded, his arms wrapped around her waist. He looked smug, but Bonnie fought the urge to roll her eye because he looked happy at the compliment as well. "I was holding back you know. If I had really been trying I probably would have broken the thing."

Bonnie was going to respond with a smart remark, until she realized he was probably telling the truth. He had been strong before, he was an athlete after all, but now that his wolf was out everything was enhanced and coupled with her powers…

"Stop thinking so much," Tyler frowned, "We're supposed to be having fun." Bonnie had forgotten that he was able to see into her mind and what thoughts that he didn't catch, he could feel or sense. It would probably become easier for them to delve in and out of each other's minds over time. Bonnie wondered what it would be like once they got the bond settled into something they could manage. If the intensity would be same years from now.

"What do you want to do next?" Tyler asked, deliberately interrupting her train of thought.

Bonnie bit her lip and looked around. Her eyes settled on something across the crowd of people. "Photo booth?" She asked.

"We're supernaturally married so I guess we should get some pictures taken," Tyler shrugged.

Bonnie grinned in amusement and tugged him forward by the shirt. She walked backwards through the crowd as he walked forward, his hands on her hips guiding her path, knowing that he would keep them from running into anyone. She trusted him without thought or second guessing. It was a rare thing for her to be able to have complete faith in anyone anymore, even with the small things. Even herself. She had faith in him and their bond even if she didn't understand it fully and that was something she wanted to hold onto.

Drawing the curtain back once they got to the booth, Bonnie pulled Tyler inside. The booth was cramped and so she had to sit on his lap. She waited, her arms around his neck as he put money into the machine and they picked out settings.

After the first couple of pictures Bonnie began to feel restless. Even if her body hadn't really fully recovered from the previous night she couldn't stop herself from reacting to him. He smelled good. Their bodies were pressed tightly together in the close quarters and she was beginning to feel the now familiar heat where their skin touched. She could feel his breath tickle her neck and her pulse quickened as he placed a kiss there. She wanted him and it hadn't gotten any better than it had from the night before. If anything it was more intense.

"You know, _luna_ ," Tyler whispered, smirking, "I can feel what you want even if you don't say it out loud. There's lust coming off of you in waves, I can taste it. Feel it. Hear it in that honeyed voice of yours."

One of his hands left her hip to grip her thigh and Bonnie shivered as it slid up, just under the hem of her skirt. Bonnie turned her body towards him and faced him completely. As she squirmed in his lap she felt his hardness press up against her. "If you know what I want, then kiss me already," Bonnie whispered.

Bonnie didn't have to wait long for him to comply. His lips were warm and soft and she found that she didn't mind the possibility of kissing him and only him for all eternity.

The flash of the camera in the photo booth going off had Tyler pulling away in spite of Bonnie's moan of protest. "I forgot about the camera," Tyler murmured against her lips.

Bonnie smirked as she threw one of her legs over his lap and straddled his hips. "Are you making a point?" she asked.

"What if we get caught?" Tyler asked even as he kissed her neck. He honestly didn't care either way. If it were up to his wolf he would display his claim on Bonnie to every guy on campus not just once but at least twice for good measure. He wanted the world to know that she was his and he wanted her to feel the same way about him.

"There's already photographic evidence and we are supernaturally married," she replied, "So who the hell cares?" Tyler could feel the joy along with the lust coming from Bonnie and his own joy increased at her next words. "Besides I want everyone to know you're mine. If this is how they find out then at least we get to have fun before it happens right?"

"I did say that we should have fun," he laughed. Tyler gripped her thighs as Bonnie's hands slipped under his shirt. "I guess I'm rubbing off on you."

Bonnie rocked her hips against him in answer and kissed along his jaw as his eyed began to glow. "Not in the way I want you too," she whispered once her lips reached his ear.

He could feel what she felt and it made what he was already feeling that much more intense. If this was what it would be like with her every time, Tyler knew he would spend an eternity not being able to keep his hands off of her and not giving a damn about it enough to even try. "I think I can rectify that," Tyler told her and kissed her again as another flash went off.

 **:::**

Elena Gilbert attempted to smile as Stefan Salvatore wrapped his arms around her shoulders. While she had talked a good game about them having a normal evening at the carnival there was too much going on for that. Katherine had returned. Damon was off the rails. She had had a death scare with both Caroline and Jeremy. Thankfully they had both made it out unscathed. However, now Bonnie was missing and with Katherine lurking around and Damon being Damon at his worse, Elena knew that she would need her best friend now more than ever.

Matt and Caroline walked hand in hand at Elena's side and she found herself grateful that at least one of her friends got to have a happy and normal night. After Caroline had been saved by Damon's blood, Elena was glad to see that she and Matt had been able to pick up where they left off without any issues and seemed to be stronger than ever. She wished that she could say the same about her in Stefan.

With Katherine's return Elena's insecurities were surfacing in spite of herself. She wished that she could talk to Bonnie about all of her relationship woes, in spite of her lack of experience she always helped Elena feel better about herself.

"Stop thinking so much," Stefan said from beside her, "Maybe Bonnie didn't want to come and be around two couples. She missed school today, yes, but she did just encounter Katherine. Maybe she just needed a break from it all."

Elena nodded, reluctantly. "Yeah," she sighed, "Maybe."

Elena was brought out of their conversation by Caroline's excited squeal. "Look, a photo booth," she beamed at Matt, "And here I thought Elena wouldn't be able to manage this carnival without my planning expertise."

Matt laughed and Elena watched as Caroline pulled him along towards the booth. Elena and Stefan followed close behind.

When they came upon the booth there was already a couple of couples waiting impatiently out front. "What's going on?" Elena asked.

"It's _occupied_ ," one of the girls standing on the outside stated and Elena didn't miss the double meaning of her words. "We tried knocking on the side but some guy just stuck his hand out and flipped us off."

Elena frowned but before she could respond, Caroline beat her to it. "Seriously?" Caroline spat. "I am not waiting in line for some asshole to get off."

Matt moved forward to intervene as he and Elena already knew what this would lead up to. "Care it's not that big of a deal," he tried, but Caroline was already marching forward and grabbing a hold of the curtain hiding the couple on the inside.

"Pardon the interruption but-" Caroline started and Elena was sure there would be a not so nice tantrum that would follow but Caroline stopped talking as she pulled the curtain back and when she spoke again she said the last thing Elena would have expected. "Bonnie?!"

Elena pushed her way through the crowd to get a better look and sure enough once she did she got an eyeful. Bonnie was crammed into the small photo booth with none other than Tyler Lockwood, his hands up her skirt and hers under his shirt as she straddled his lap. Bonnie's eyes were wide and her lips were swollen and it was clear what they had been up to.

Elena blinked several times not sure she was seeing things right. Bonnie had barely even kissed a guy and here she was dry humping in some photo booth with Tyler Lockwood, who had a reputation as an asshole and a player, even if Elena did consider him a friend. Elena's first thought was that Tyler in his grief was taking advantage of her friend and she wasn't going to let it happen.

"Sup guys," Tyler said his tone dripping with nonchalance as Bonnie climbed out of his lap, her cheeks on fire. Tyler gripped Bonnie's neck and pulled her down for a quick kiss before he adjusted his shirt, though he made no move to hide the state he was in as he adjusted his jeans well.

As he helped Bonnie rearrange her skirt his hands lingered on her butt longer than necessary and Bonnie made no protest as she ran a hand through his hair. The cheers and hoots from the other patrons didn't seem to bother Bonnie as she laughed and Tyler grinned up at her looking smug and satisfied.

"What the hell is going on here?" Elena said.

"It's kind of self-explanatory, Elena," Matt grinned as Tyler and Bonnie climbed out of the booth, Bonnie clutching a stuffed wolf in one hand and Tyler's hand in the other. "If you're that confused we could maybe ask to see some of the photos they got. Should be interesting if nothing else."

Elena was able to comment that she didn't find the situation at all amusing when Caroline spoke to Matt cutting her off, "I told you Tyler was trying to flirt with her at the Founder's Day parade," Caroline said, "She was just too oblivious. But clearly she got caught up."

"Clearly," Bonnie agreed, causing Caroline to giggle and request details.

This time Elena felt the need to cut them off. "What I would like to know is why you felt the need to not answer your phone all day and then when we find you you're hauled up with Tyler of all people-"

All of the smugness left Tyler's face as Elena spoke and Bonnie's eyes narrowed dangerously causing Elena to pause. "Be careful what you say next, Elena," Tyler warned.

Bonnie leaned into him and squeezed his hand and Elena watched in surprise as Tyler's noticeable anger seemed to deflate. "Listen Elena," Bonnie frowned, "I'm sorry I ignored your calls but Tyler and I have kind of been busy." At that Caroline giggled again but Bonnie ignored her. "We connected at the memorial. You all know we both have had reasons to grieve in the past few months." Bonnie looked pointedly at Elena and Stefan. "We got to talking and other things and we found that we have more in common thought. So here we are. I didn't mean to make you worry but you know how it is when things are new and you really like someone."

Elena wanted to protest. There were hickey marks all over Bonnie's neck that were clearly visible and one large mark that was covered by Bonnie's hair that reminded Elena of the ones on Caroline when Damon had first come to town. She knew that Tyler had reacted to the Gilbert device and Bonnie acting so out of character so suddenly just seemed off.

"Of course we understand," Stefan was saying before Elena could retort, "Elena and I happened fast and we wanted to spend all of our time together. Still do. We get it. We wouldn't begrudge anyone of that, least of all you Bonnie."

Bonnie's eyes seem to soften some but Tyler glared as he wrapped an arm around Bonnie's shoulders. "Great," he said, "Now that that's all cleared up, I have to report to the wrestling team's booth. Arm wrestling. Bonnie was just talking about how strong and manly I am so I've got to prove her right. Right, Bon?"

Elena tried to look for any signs of compulsion of some sort as Bonnie laughed and rolled her eyes. Her friend seemed normal but who knew what Tyler was or what he was capable of. Damon didn't think he was a vampire and neither did Stefan but something was definitely off.

"Not in those words," Bonnie said, breaking into Elena's thoughts, "But if you want to show off for me I think I could pretend to be impressed long enough to make you feel good about yourself."

"Ouch," Tyler frowned letting go of Bonnie and holding his chest, but he was laughing a moment later and turning to retrieve the photos from the booth. He scanned them as he held them up. "I'm getting at least three of these blown up and framed," he said as he showed the pictures to Bonnie.

"You're insane." Bonnie giggled as she took the pictures from his hand and Tyler wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"And you two are adorable," Caroline said, "Seriously you have to tell me everything."

Elena watched as her four friends walked off in the direction of the wrestling teams display. She turned back to Stefan and shook her head. "Something isn't right," she said.

Stefan nodded. "Don't worry we'll figure it out," he said.

 **:::**

Damon Salvatore watched as Tyler Lockwood took down opponent after opponent at the arm wrestling table. Lockwood didn't seem to have to try very hard either. The strangest thing of all was Bonnie Bennett being at the boy's side.

Damon had overheard bits and pieces of a conversation between Tyler and his uncle Mason when he had met with Carol Lockwood that morning. Nothing that would make sense to an outsider but enough to give Damon pause. He had heard Bonnie's name brought up more than once before the two had gotten wise and take the conversation somewhere more private and Carol had politely shown him the door.

As he watched Tyler take on another challenger his eyes drifted to Bonnie. The arm Tyler wasn't using to arm wrestle was wrapped securely around Bonnie's waist and Bonnie had one arm around Lockwood's shoulders and the other over the arm he had around her, their fingers threaded together. Damon thought perhaps Bonnie was lending him some of her power but he doubted it very much. Usually they could tell when she was using and she wasn't reckless enough to risk outing herself to impress some boy. Never mind the fact that Lockwood was looking way too smug for the display of strength not to be all his doing.

After each match he would look to Bonnie as if seeking approval of some sort and the witch would comply giving him a kiss on the cheek or the lips or along his jawline and Lockwood would give a shit eating grin before calling for the next challenger.

The sight irritated Damon to no end. It wasn't just because he was sure that the Lockwood family was hiding some kind of secret. That they weren't exactly human. Tyler and the former mayor reacting to the Gilbert device was proof enough of that. No, his irritation stemmed from Bonnie being involved.

The witch was still hell bent on judging his every move and taking him down and yet she was all over Lockwood, whatever he was. He noted too that there were marks on the expanse of exposed skin that he could see on Bonnie's body that were reminiscent of his time with Caroline upon his arrival. He scowled, the idea of Lockwood taking advantage of Bonnie making him want to expose whatever secret the family was hiding even more.

"That's new," Damon said as his brother walked up to stand beside him, "How long has that been a thing."

Stefan stopped next to him just as Mason Lockwood came up to challenge his nephew. "Bonnie and Tyler?" Stefan asked, "Not long. Elena is suspicious. So am I."

"So am I , little brother," Damon said as he went on to explain what he had overheard. Stefan made a joke about Damon's suspicions but stopped laughing as they watched Mason struggle before Tyler took him down and there was a look of utter shock on Mason's face and then the look turned to one of pride.

"The champ still reigns," Mason declared patting Tyler on the back, "Who do we have next? Who's brave enough to take on my nephew?"

Damon volunteered Stefan without much thought. He watched as his brother walked up to the table and took Tyler's hand. Damon looked on as Bonnie smirked across the table at Stefan and then whispered something into Tyler's ear.

Lockwood took less than two minutes to take Stefan down and when it was over his brother walked over to him shaking out his hand. As the crowd around Lockwood cheered Damon chastised his brother for not trying.

"That's just it," Stefan said, "I did." He held his hand up for Damon to examine and he was surprised to find that one of the fingers on Stefan's hand was dislocated and two were broken.

"What the hell?" Damon hissed. Damon looked back at Lockwood in time to see him kiss Bonnie hard on the lips and he had no qualms with compelling the next big guy that passed to kick Tyler's ass and it only had a little to do with wanting to know the Lockwood's secret.

 **:::**

Bonnie and Tyler walked hand in hand towards his car. She held the wolf he had one in one hand. She felt happier than she had in ages. Tyler had not only managed to intimidate the Salvatore brothers but he had told anyone who was within earshot that he and Bonnie were now and item and had no issues with showing them as well.

Bonnie felt like she was walking on air and even the concerned looks Elena was giving her and the calculating look she had seen on Damon's face couldn't kill her mood. They could come up with as many theories as they wanted, they would never understand the bond that she and Tyler had and Bonnie was grateful for it. It was something that was all her own that no one could touch.

As they reached the car Bonnie wasn't all that surprised when Tyler pressed her up against it. "You have no idea how good it feels to feel your happiness," he whispered into her ear, "Or how hot it was when you told me to knock Stefan down a notch."

Bonnie laughed into the kiss Tyler initiated. She had gotten more satisfaction than she probably should have from watching Stefan walk away with broken fingers and wounded pride. "It was hot to watch," she said as he pulled back.

"You can't say stuff like that an expect me not to pull you into the back seat," Tyler said.

Bonnie knew he was serious. They had gone way farther than intended in the photo booth so she wouldn't have been surprised if that was where they ended up next. However, before she could respond a voice coming from behind them caused them to separate.

"Hey beautiful," a deep voice called out, "Why don't you drop him and come see what a real man can offer?"

Bonnie frowned as Tyler pulled away from her. She looked over his shoulder in time to see one of the carnival workers she had seen in passing walk up to them.

Tyler rolled his eyes but Bonnie could sense the wolf stirring beneath the surface as the guy gave her a once over glance. "Walk away man," Tyler told him, "She's spoken for."

"By who?" the guy asked, "You?" Bonnie watched as the guy stopped too close to Tyler for either of their liking. "Couldn't be. She doesn't look like she's into bitches."

"Walk _away_ ," Tyler repeated, this time the threat in his tone clear.

The guy response was to push him and as Tyler pushed back, Bonnie caught a look in his eye, a hesitance. "Tyler wait," she said, gripping his shoulder, "Something isn't right." The guy kept goading him but Bonnie's presence kept Tyler from the brink even as she felt his instincts screaming at him to pulverize the guy and protect her.

The guy moved to punch him and this time it was Mason who intervened. He came out of nowhere it seemed, grabbing the guy and throwing him to the ground. The guy didn't stop he came at Mason trying to get to Tyler.

"Do you remember what I said about vampires being able to manipulate the mind?" Bonnie asked.

Tyler nodded even as he kept his eyes on the fight to make sure both men stayed out of Bonnie's range. "Yeah, compulsion," he replied.

"I think that's what this is," she said, "The Salvatore trying to get you to reveal what you are. I can stop it but I need you to trust me enough to let me do it."

Tyler hesitated but nodded once. "Mason," he called out, "Stop feeding into it. It's a set up. Bonnie's going to handle it."

Bonnie was surprised that Mason didn't put up a fight until she remembered what Tyler had mentioned about being an alpha. The Alpha. Their Alpha.

Bonnie stepped forward as Mason stepped to the side. She was wary but Tyler's faith and trust in her made her feel stronger. It didn't take much to knock the man unconscious. Not even a whispered spell. Just a thought and a gesture of her hand and he was falling to the ground.

Tyler was at her side seconds later. He grabbed her hand and began to pull her in the direction of the car but Bonnie stood her ground. "Come out, Stefan," she called, "I know you're there."

There was a moment when she, Tyler and Mason stood waiting in silence. Mason growled and Tyler stepped slightly in front of Bonnie as they heard a rustling in the bushes nearby before Stefan appeared.

"We didn't mean any harm Bonnie," he said, "We just wanted to make sure that whatever was going on, you were safe."

"Her safety isn't for you to worry about," Tyler spat, "Its mine to worry about and she'll always be safe with me. Which is more than I could say for you or your crazy eyed shithead brother."

Stefan opened his mouth to speak but Bonnie cut him off. "Nothing about the Lockwoods or between Tyler and I is any of your concern," she said, her tone firm.

"I know you don't think so but I still consider you a friend Bonnie," Stefan started but stopped as Tyler left Bonnie's side to approach him.

"You heard what she said Stef," Tyler scowled, "Stay the hell away from Bonnie and stay the hell away from my family. Stay out of our way and we'll stay out of yours. You'll regret it if you don't."

Without acknowledging Stefan any further, Tyler announced that they were leaving. Mason got into his car first, giving Stefan a warning glare. As Tyler opened the passenger's side door of his car for Bonnie she glanced back in Stefan's direction. It was clear that he was going to ignore the warning and Bonnie would need to make sure that they were prepared for whatever came next regardless as to whether Stefan would take Tyler's warning seriously or not.


End file.
